


Alex Ham the Orchestra Man

by sarabande_onthecello



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Middle School, Alternate Universe - Orchestra, Angst, Band, Cellist!Alex, Fluff, Hamilton trash, I am terrible, I suck at tagging, Lams - Freeform, Multi, Mutual Pining, No Smut, Orchestra, Pining, and the trash is my kinsmen, bc irl their characters are dating, first fic, i am so bad at tagging, laurens and peggy both play viola, oh look the trash can it's my home, peggy's name is not margaret, watch the ships floating
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-07
Updated: 2016-10-13
Packaged: 2018-07-12 23:16:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 36,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7127453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarabande_onthecello/pseuds/sarabande_onthecello
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A self-indulgent first fic where the Hamsquad is in orchestra and their rivals are the band.<br/>Alex is a new kid and he plays cello; the Schuylers and Laurens, Lafayette, and Mulligan are in the orchestra with him. George Washington is a conductor. All the bad guys are in band.<br/>Meanwhile Alex is struggling with a crush on both Eliza and Laurens and he is very confused and smol<br/>They play music together, become friends, make and break relationships, and try to beat the band at the end of year festival.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Alex meets the Squad and Orchestra Happens

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Battle of the Bands](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6055102) by [orphan_account](https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account). 



> First fic... but don't feel too gentle.  
> enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex auditions for the seating with Washington, talks to Aaron Burr, and meets most of the Squad in Orchestra.

Alexander Hamilton sped through the school’s dingy hallways, holding on to a cello strap with one hand and muttering to himself as he went: “Orchestra room, go straight down and turn right, past the stairs. Orchestra room, go straight and turn right, past the stairs. Hurry up, Alex, can’t be late for the audition.” He made the required turn and was met with a closed, wooden door with the room number _215_. He racked his memory. This was - probably - the orchestra room.

The door opened and a tall African-American girl appeared, rolling a cello case behind her. She looked at him.

“Waiting to go in? He’s ready for the next one.”

He nodded thinly. She held the door open for him with her fingertips.

“Thanks,” he said, barely audibly.

He headed in. The conductor had told him to call him just Washington, and he was sitting in one of the student chairs with a desk pulled in front of him, hand hovering over a sheet of paper with a pencil. He’d met Washington yesterday, when he came in with his uncle earlier to make sure his extra-packed schedule would be fine. Though he had gotten the audition music beforehand, for the seating arrangements in the orchestra. He wanted first chair. First chair got all the solos.

“Hello, Alexander isn’t it?” - he nodded, “why don’t you unpack and tune up?” He complied nervously, running up and down a couple of scales to warm up. He looked up when he was done, Washington smiling kindly at him.

“Start whenever you’re ready.”

He nodded a beat out, tapped it on the floor with his foot - he saw Washington’s eyes flick towards it with no change in expression, and he chastised himself - it was a bad habit of his.

Halfway through his audition, he completely botched a rhythm and reverted to playing the section half as slowly, which was how he’d originally learned it, only realizing his mistake several bars after he switched to half time. Slightly shaken up, he stumbled through the rest of the piece, packing up as fast as he could and ignoring Washington’s attempts to talk to him, calm him down. He made it outside and shut the door quietly - apparently he was the last to audition - before sitting down on the floor, pissed at himself and everything around him. He played his audition so badly, he’d be lucky to get fifth chair of the six available at this rate. He groaned.

A shadow fell over him, then bent over.

“Are you alright?” He craned his neck up. Standing in front of him was a tall African American boy, not smiling at him but not frowning either. His hand was stuck out in front of him. Hamilton took the boy’s hand and used it to pull himself up, then shook it.

“I’m Alexander Hamilton.”

“I gathered,” the boy said, nodding at the tag on his cloth cello case. “I’m Aaron Burr, I play violin. Were you trying out?”

“Yeah, I messed it up. I played half time at that one part in the middle, you know? That part where there’s the awkward sixteenths with all the string crossings? And that kind of shook me up for the rest of the audition, and I kind of just threw my bow at the strings with unnecessary energy and lost all my phrasing and -” He cut himself when he realized the boy - Burr - was looking at him strangely. “Sorry. I’ve been told I talk too much. I have to work on that, actually, I always got in trouble for talk - you know what, I’ll shut up now. What?”

Burr waited a moment before saying, “Washington’ll go easy if it’s your first year.” He paused. “It _is_ your first year, right? I don’t remember seeing you.”

“Yeah, I moved here two months ago because my mom and I caught this flu that was going around, and we hadn’t been vaccinated so we got pretty sick and then my mom died while she was holding me, just like that. That was two months ago and -” He stopped abruptly. Perhaps he shouldn’t hit a person he just met with that. “- Never mind. Anyway, I live with my uncle now.”

Burr looked at him with something akin to pity. “If it means anything to you, my parents are dead too. I’m emancipated, I live by myself now.”

Alex stared at him. “You can do that?” The gears in his brain started moving, working out ways to get out of the house he lived in. Not that his uncle was bad, per se, but he was very ignored. If he wanted that he might as well just move into his own house. There were less rules to manage then.

“Well, yeah, my parents had some money and I’m living off of that until I can graduate,” he said. Alex felt his shoulders distinctly slump when he heard the word _money_ : Brains he had, music he had, a tolerance for pain and a sense of honor that had gotten him through the first fourteen years of his life, but not money. He and his mother had always been poor, and they’d had the occasional empty night from when she ran out between paydays at the small job with the landlord she had. He’d taken on her job after she died, for a short while, but then the legal papers had been worked out and his uncle had to fly down to the Caribbean where he’d lived to get him. He didn’t have a job anymore. He missed it, missed the easy monotony of keeping track of the money for his landlord’s trades, but he was going to be pretty busy at school, he supposed. At least he had more time for cello. Where he’d lived before, in St. Croix, there wasn’t much time nor tolerance for music.

He realized Burr was staring at him. “What? Oh, yeah, cool.” He checked his phone - that was new, too - and added, “Sorry, Burr, I gotta go. My uncle needs me at home for dinner.” He was still getting used to life in New York. Everything was so much easier.

“Goodbye, Alexander, see you tomorrow?”

“You bet. And call me Alex,” he tossed over his shoulder as he grabbed his cello by the handle on the case and swung it onto his back, heading out the front doors. He had so much to think about.

***

The next day, Alex walked into room 215 nervously clutching his cello straps to be greeted with a cheerful hubbub as people unpacked their instruments and found their seats, designated with green index cards with each person’s name and seat number written in neat handwriting on it. He scanned the cello section eagerly, eyes landing first on the first chair - god _dangit_ , he wasn’t first, of course he wasn’t, he’d messed up the audition, but he’d had a small bit of hope - but then he saw the chair beside it, with the name _Alexander Hamilton, 2nd chair_ written on its index card.

Second chair wasn’t necessarily bad, but it wasn’t good either. He hated being second to anyone.

He shucked the case off of his cello, took a moment to run his hands over it and ensure that nothing had happened in the few hours since he’d seen it - no scratches, good, he needed a hard case as soon as he could afford one - and pulled out the bow too, tightening it with a few practiced twists. He didn’t have music yet, assumed that no one did. He squeezed through the tight rows of chairs and sat down with a grunt in the second chair. His standpartner hadn’t sat down yet, so he took the moment to look at his their card: _Angelica Schuyler, 1st chair_. Okay, then.

He jerked back slightly guiltily as a person plopped down into the chair beside him, wearing black jeans and a loose peach blouse. “Hi, new standpartner, I’m Angelica and I use she/her pronouns - wait, I know you, aren’t you that kid from yesterday?” She looked him up and down with a critical eye. “Yep, you are. What’s your name?”

“Hi, um… I’m Alex Hamilton.” He watched her as she cast her glance over the cello section, lips pursed. “You don’t look satisfied.”

She turned back towards him, laughed a little. “Yeah, no, the cello section has been… rather lacking. Let’s hope it’s better this year.” She sighed. “Congrats on the second chair by the way, G-Wash doesn’t usually put newbies in the front. You must be pretty good.”

He tried for a smile, didn’t know whether he succeeded in that or not. “Honestly? I completely failed my audition, played that part in the middle in half time and basically floundered around for the last half of the thing. Ugh.”

She did laugh outright at that, eyes twinkling. “I hate that part, almost messed it up too.” She turned back towards the music stand, set up a folder for music, and started warming up, sweeping her long black hair over her shoulder in one practiced motion. The conversation was over, then, he supposed, and he ran through a couple of scales before giving up and staring blankly at the ground.

He felt a sharp poke in his side. “Yo, who are you, new kid?” The boy sitting on his right had a faceful of freckles, an easy smile, and a shining viola in his hands, and he automatically smiled back before replying “I’m Alexander Hamilton,” pausing before taking a leaf out of Angelica’s book, “and I use he/him pronouns.” Just in case.

“I’m John Laurens, and this is the place to be. Glad to have you here, Ham - can I call you Ham?” He faked horror and nodded at the same time, enjoying that Laurens was already comfortable enough with him to abbreviate his name.

Another person thumped into the chair beside Laurens with a viola as well, picking up on their conversation and exuberantly proclaiming, “I’m Peggy, and I use them/theirs pronouns.” They smiled at him, slightly viciously in a warning sort of way, and he unconsciously shrunk away as he felt Angelica shift by his side, saying, “Respect their pronouns or I kill you.”

He swung back to look at her, surprised by the fierce protectiveness. She saw his confusion and added, “They’re my sibling. Adopted.”

He relaxed in his seat as he understood. “Duly noted.”

He and Laurens talked a bit more before Washington - _G-Wash_ , Angelica had called him, but he wasn’t sure about that - called the orchestra to order. He learned that Laurens enjoyed sketching and carried a small art book with him everywhere, and that he had a pet turtle named Frances at home. Watching Laurens’ face as he described the turtle, Alex could tell that he really loved it, and it was kind of endearing.

Wait, no - stop that, Hamilton, you don’t even know if he’s into men. _Ugh_ , he sighed mentally, and continued listening to Laurens’ expressive style of talking - he had an adorable Southern accent that slipped out every once in awhile without him noticing, and he waved his hands around as he talked and almost hit Peggy in the face with his bow, hastily apologizing. He laughed.

Washington stepped up to the podium and silenced everyone with a wave of his hand. Alex turned back towards the front, facing Washington, and was immediately impressed by the confidence exuding from the conductor, like he knew exactly what he was doing and expected everyone to follow him. Then his eyes dropped to the first violin, and his jaw dropped slightly - Aaron Burr was the concertmaster? He suddenly regretted how casual he had been yesterday; being on good terms with the concertmaster had to help get a person ahead if they wanted to rise through the orchestra ranks. Namely, from second place to first place.

“Hello, students. As you probably know, I’m your conductor, George Washington. Call me Washington, though some students do use G-Wash-” he looked towards Angelica, who smiled at him innocently - “and I do see some new members here, glad to see you all.

“I’ll be passing out this term’s music now, take one part and pass it back.” He rifled through his bulging bag, decorated with music notes and symbols, and pulled out a gigantic sheaf of paper. Sorting it into separate stacks, he handed a stack to Burr, another person in the 2nd violin with a headful of hair exploding out of its ponytail, one to Laurens, and one to Angelica. She flipped through through the pages and took the top two, handing them to him.

“What? Oh, thanks, Angelica.” He took the proffered pages and slipped them into the homework pocket in his binder, mentally reminding himself to get a folder for school music. Angelica took another two sheets and smoothly handed the pile back behind her without looking. She arranged them out on the music stand - the song they were playing was called Simple Symphony by Benjamin Britten; it didn’t look too difficult to sight read, though there were some sections that would probably need some slow working through at home. He started experimenting with some of the harder-looking sections, which weren’t actually so bad. There were a couple of parts with divisi, though, so he asked Angelica if she’d take the melody, since she was on the outside, and she nodded.

Washington waited for everyone to finish sorting out their music before waving his baton again and saying, “Let’s try it now, okay? Just the first movement. I’ll be conducting in four-four even though it’s in cut-time, so that we can sight read better.” He flicked his baton in the _one, two, three, four_ motions and they started tentatively.

All in all, it wasn’t _so_ bad, especially considering that it was their first time reading it. Washington cut them off with a flourish and smiled. “That wasn’t horrible for a first try. Let’s run it through again one more time and then we’ll focus on some of the smaller parts.” He liked how Washington jumped into working on the pieces immediately. It was really efficient. And the auditions had made it so the front rowers were quite good, so he felt like he was enveloped by actually in tune people playing. He liked this feeling, of weaving music together, even if they weren’t all together. United through music.

The rest of the class period passed quickly, Alex so focused on his music that he was unaware of time passing. Washington finally waved his hand for them to stop and the orchestra cut off jaggedly as they stopped playing in confusion. “There’s three minutes left, I always give you that much time to pack up.” Cheerful banter filled the room as he tried to fight his way the four feet over to talk to Burr - his number one rule in life was to impress the number one. They were the ones that got you places. Burr left before he had a chance to, though, and he continued packing up awkwardly alone.

Laurens poked him again in the side. “New kid, you gotta meet my friends Mulligan and Laf, come on!” He grabbed his hand, Alex pulling back slightly as he grabbed his cello first but then hoisted it up and said “Okay” happily. John Laurens was holding his hand! He pulled Alex over to the back of the room, where the sole bassist was heaving a case over his instrument.

“Mulligan, we got a newbie! His name is Hammy!” Laurens jubilantly said as Alex protested “No, I’m Alex Hamilton” with a smile on his face to show that he wasn’t actually upset.

“Hello, New Kid Alex,” Mulligan said solemnly. He had a low, gruff voice that matched his bass. Then he cracked a smile and his whole face lit up at the same time as Laurens’, and they both laughed. Alex just smiled weakly, feeling a little out of place in their group, when the bushy-haired second violinist walked up to them.

“ _Mes amis_ , who is this small new cellist?” The person draped an arm over Laurens’ shoulder casually as they spoke with a thick French accent.

“I’m Alexander Hamilton. And I’m not small. Who are you?”

“I,” they said, “am Lafayette. I use they/them pronouns.” All three of them glared at him fiercely, daring him to question it.

“Cool. Can I call you Laf?”

They were apparently delighted by this. “Certainly, _mon ami_!  And you are small. Compared to me. What is your next class?”

He pulled out his binder and rifled through the pages spilling out of it. He’d have to clean that up when he got home. Finding his schedule with a small _aha!_ , he picked out the next class… “Science. I think.”

“Wonderful! I have that as well. We shall walk together.” Alex nodded and gently put his cello into the rack so he could pick it up at the end of the day, following his three new friends out the door.

“Anyway, Laf, I’m not small, you’re just excessively tall…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments are loved as well as kudos  
> especially constructive criticism!  
> (ps: your hair (or lack thereof) looks great today! and I love your fashion sense)


	2. Squad Eats Food and Group Chats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Hamsquad eats lunch together and Alex gets the shovel talk from Angie. Afterschool, they eat pizza and have a group chat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alex = hamtheman  
> Laurens = idrawturtles  
> Lafayette = BAGUETTE  
> Mulligan = horseswithcorsets  
> Angelica = aneglicatheanegl (inspired by the sin tin - thanks!)  
> Eliza = lizzieintheskywithdiamonds  
> Peggy = pegsters  
> Maria = marialikemariah

Alex found them again at lunch, sitting in the corner and basically being a loud, rowdy mess. They were sitting with Angelica and Peggy, as well as another two people that he didn’t know.

He stood uncomfortably five feet away, not sure if he should just sit down or wait for an invitation, but in moments John had spotted him and waved him over, shouting at Laf and Mulligan to scoot down the bench to make space for him. He squeezed in between Laurens and one of the people he didn’t know, who had sparkling black eyes and translucent chocolatey hair pulled back in a low ponytail.

“Hi, I’m Eliza, Angelica’s sister. I saw you in orchestra, I play violin - third chair,” she introduced shyly, and he smiled brightly at her, sticking his hand out to shake. “I’m Alexander Hamilton. I go by Alex. ” She shook his hand, him holding on perhaps a tad longer than necessary, but caught Angelica’s scowl and hastily dropped her hand. She giggled a little.

“I’m at your service, miss. What can I get you?” he asked, bowing a little bit. She laughed brightly. “I’m good for now, thanks,” she answered. He felt John shifting uncomfortably beside him and wondered briefly what was with that, but dropped it when the person sitting beside Eliza cleared their throat. He looked at them - they were pretty in a face covered with makeup kind of way, with plump red lips and sparkling eyeshadow that threw light whenever they blinked.

“Hello, I exist.” Their voice was smooth and rich, with a soft quality to it. He liked it immediately. “I’m Maria spelled without an h, and it’s pronounced like Mariah. She/her for today, sometimes they/them.”

Intrigued, he moved closer to her, ignoring (maybe not so much ignoring) Eliza’s slight squeak as he leaned over her. “Why no h?”

She rolled her eyes in one practiced move. “Because my mom decided to be cute when I was born and name me without the h.” He tried to raise one eyebrow to show his reaction and received a tableful of people laughing at him. “What?”

Mulligan recovered first. “Ham, you got… like… you don’t know how to raise one eyebrow, do you?” Alex glared at him. “Sure I can. Just because I’m not doing it right now doesn’t mean I don’t know how to.”

“Yeah, sure, Hammy,” chuckled Laurens.

“I can!” His voice strained with the force of his protesting.

“Prove it,” challenged Laurens again.

“No.” He looked away and tucked his body smaller, scowling.

“Ah, look at little Hammy, _très mignon_ ,” Lafayette cooed.

“Ugh, you guys, stop it,” he answered to all of them indiscriminately.

“Okay, fine,” said Laurens, taking pity on him. “Oh, do you know about the big music festival at the end of the year?”

Maria pushed herself across the table. “Is this the infamous Greater Manhattan Festival by any chance? That we finish up by going to an amusement park and having the time of our lives? The one that the orchestra keeps getting a freaking gold on while we get silver every year?”

Alex cut in with “Wait, Maria, what do you play?”

“Clarinet,” she answered without looking. Laurens nodded at her.

“Yeah, so we’ve gotten in the upper range every year with 98s, but last year we barely scraped a 96 and the band got a 94, which is too close a call _I_ think, and I swear to God we will get a silver this year. The orchestra’s just deteriorating. At least the band is worse.” Maria huffed when he insulted the band, interjecting, “Excuse you, the band is just fine.”

“Yeah, but the band has all the obnoxious idiots - Jefferson, Madison, Seabury…”

“I dunno, Madison isn’t so bad -” Mulligan said as Laf indignantly exclaimed “Jefferson is not obnoxious! He is my friend! And people say he looks like me when I have my hair down. If he looks like me, then he cannot be annoying.”

Peggy laughed. “Lafayette, your ego is so big it’s a miracle your head hasn’t exploded yet. Calm yourself.” Lafayette pouted, crossing their arms and letting out a _hmph!_

Laurens poked Laf’s head teasingly, saying “Maybe your hair is a physical representation of that, Laf.” Alex smiled, eyes softening as he watched Laurens cheerfully burn Lafayette. And then looked back at Eliza, who was talking quietly with Maria. He was so confused.

Angelica’s voice snapped him back to reality. “Alex, can I see you for a moment?” she asked, the slightest tinge of warning in her voice.

“Of course, Angelica, I’m right here,” he answered, propping his chin on his hand. “What can I help you with?” She waited, glaring at him, and after a minute he cracked and said, “Okay, okay, I’ll come.” She tossed her head triumphantly and grabbed his wrist, pulling him along the table and outside the cafeteria until he was leaning up against the wall, Angelica in front of him.

“You hurt my friends, I hurt you. You hurt _Eliza_ , I hurt you. Okay?” Her eyes flashed.

“Um… I’m sorry, what?” he managed, forehead wrinkling in confusion.

She heaved a sigh. “Alex, I’m saying that you be careful with Eliza, because if you hurt her you better pray to God that I don’t kill you on the spot. Don’t think I haven’t seen the way you’ve been looking at her, but she already likes you. Eliza is much more trusting than I am, and so are the rest of the group, and they’ve already taken you in. I _don’t_ trust that easily, I build up proof that the person is even worth my time, so prove yourself worthy for my sister. She’s too good for you. Got it?”

Alex just stared blankly at her, processing the fierce conundrum that was Angelica Schuyler. She gripped him by the shoulders and dug her fingers in. _“Got it?”_

“I - uh, yeah, sure. I’ll be careful. Don’t worry, I’ll be the most gentlemanly of them all.” He tried for a cheeky smile.

She relaxed a little bit. “You better not be flirting with me. I am very much not interested in you. Good talk, Alexander.” She turned on her heel and headed back into the cafeteria, Alex following moments later.

He squished back into the group next to Laurens, who turned from his conversation with Laf and Mulligan to say, “Angie give you the friend shovel talk?” He nodded slightly, still shaken up about it, but Laurens just laughed and added “I hope she didn’t scare you away.”

“Well, I’m here now, aren’t I?” he asked, relaxing in the presence of Laurens’ easygoing demeanor.

The rest of lunch passed in a blur of strange but amusing innuendos, rapid French, and terrible puns that nevertheless had the whole table wiping tears from their eyes. Everything was funnier with a group of friends.

***

Alex was packing his backpack at the end of the day, rummaging through his already messy locker - how had that happened, it was only the first day he’d officially been at the school - when he saw a glimpse of freckles by his side, leaning against the locker casually. “What brings you here, my dear Laurens?”

He turned and caught a faint blush before it disappeared and his easy smile replaced it. “Hey there, Alex.”

“It’s good to see you too, John Laurens, but you wouldn’t be here across the school from your locker if you didn’t need something from me. Though I certainly don’t mind seeing you again.” On a whim, he winked. Laurens bit his lip, looking a little flushed again, and then he said rapidly, “Can I have your number?”

Surprised but happy, Alex pulled out his new phone (look at his phone, it’s his baby, it outshines the morning sun) and opened the screen with his number on it, reading the digits off slowly as John typed it into his little phone.

“Thanks. I’ll shoot you a text, wait…” His eyebrows furrowed as he focused on the small buttons on his phone, and Alex’s phone buzzed. He pulled it out:

**Unknown number: yoyoyo hammy ;))))**

He changed the contact name in his phone.

**Alexander: really, turtle boy, really?**

**John: y tf u use pucntiuation**

**Alexander: wow spelling on point**

**John: thats better**

He looked back up from his phone and talked to Laurens out loud. “I hate to leave this scintillating conversation, but I have to go pick up my cello and head home. I have homework.”

John faked a crestfallen look. “Aw, Hammy, you have to go? Also, who gets homework the first day of school?”

“I have to organize all my papers and sign all the papers…” he trailed off. Laurens was right, who does homework the first day? He sighed resignedly. “Okay, okay, I have some free time, I guess. But still.” He laughed at the way Laurens’ whole body lit up. “You can come with us! Me ’n’ Laf ’n’ Mulligan and the Schuylers are going to this pizza place down the street.”

“What about Maria?” he asked.

“She’s doing something with her boyfriend, I dunno.” He bent over and whispered right into Alex’s ear, “Personally, I don’t like him much, but it’s her choice.” He sprung back up and grinned at Alex, ignoring the redness that had spread across his cheeks when he felt Laurens breathe in his ear. “So, are you coming?”

He sighed. “I won’t be able to shake you, huh? I’ll come. Reluctantly.” Laurens’ face lit up. “Wooo! Let’s go!” He grabbed Alex’s hand and tugged him down the hallway, barely giving him enough time to close and lock his locker door.

“Jeez, okay, calm down Laurens,” he laughed, stumbling down the hallway, unwilling to let go of Laurens. They stopped in room 215 to get their respective instruments and then went outside into the hot sunny weather, squinting.

“Alex?” He turned at his name, and Laurens held out his phone, “can I give your number to the others?”

“Sure,” he said, glad that they were accepting him into their group so quickly. His phone buzzed. And then again, and again, and again. He rolled his eyes and pulled out his phone.

**Unknown number: braah braah this is mulligan**

**Unknown number: mon petit lion! hello**

**Unknown number: hey ham man it’s peggy**

**Unknown number: Hi, Alexander. It’s Angelica.**

**Unknown number: hey alex, this is eliza**

“Wow… they never get off their phones or something?” Laurens nodded. “Come on, we’re meeting them at the place.” Alex followed him cheerfully, changing all his contact names as he walked.

**Alexander: hai peggy**

**Alexander: how eloquent mulligan**

**Alexander: hello angelica**

**Alexander: hey ;)**

**Alexander: laf, a lion? really?**

They popped into the tiny pizza place - called Rochambeau’s Pizza - blinking at the sudden dimness. Laf waved at them cheerfully, the other four still on their phones with the light illuminating their faces.

“Is this a personally owned store?” he asked Laurens.

“Yeah, actually. It’s great, the people are super nice and they have good pizza. We come here all the time,” he nodded. They slid into the bench next to Peggy and Laf.

“We already ordered, but if you want something else you can get it,” Angelica informed them. Alex shook his head. He didn’t need to spend more money than necessary.

His phone buzzed again; sighing, he pulled it out while addressing the table, “Do you guys really need to text each other now? We’re literally sitting within two feet of everyone. Maybe three, considering the diagonals and whatnot. But still. Antisocial young Americans will be the death of our generation.” They all laughed.

“We’re on a group chat - we should invite you in, wait a second,” Eliza said.

**Laf: so how are you and Laurens doing?**

He blinked. What did they mean?

**Alexander: there’s nothing going on**

**Laf: oh please, ive seen you two, you already look like lovestruck babies**

**Alexander: we do not**

**Laf: mon petit lion est dedans l’amour**

_Eliza_ _has invited you to_ _The Revolutionary Squad_

_You have joined_ _The Revolutionary Squad_

_You have changed your nickname to_ _hamtheman_

**pegsters: idk i think new kid is alright**

**hamtheman: wow jeez you guys talking about me already**

**idrawturtles: oh hi ham**

**BAGUETTE: mon ami welcome**

**hamtheman: hi to you too**

**hamtheman: all of you**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: hello alex join the squad**

**aneglicatheanegl: my name is aneglica here**

**horseswithcorsets: hi new kid**

**hamtheman: why is your name horses with corsets**

**idrawturtles: because he diddly-does horses and has a corset kink**

**BAGUETTE: john even i don’t say diddly-do and i come from france**

**horseswithcorsets: I DO NOT HAVE A CORSET KINK I JUST THINK THEYRE COOL**

**hamtheman: diddly-do? wtf is that**

**pegsters: HAVE SEX WITH**

**aneglicatheanegl: was that necessary peg**

**pegsters: absolutely**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: yall calm down youe gonna scare him away**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: *youre**

**marialikemariah: i still think your name is too long**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: too bad**

**aneglicatheanegl: OHHH**

**pegsters: LIZA GETTIN UP IN IT**

**aneglicatheanegl: PUTTIN HERSELF IN THE NARRATIVE**

**horseswithcorsets: i still don’t get how you siblings are so weirdly sinked**

**idrawturtles: sinked**

**idrawturtles: loL**

**horseswithcorsets: what**

**hamtheman: it’s “synced”**

**horseswithcorsets: wtf why**

**BAGUETTE: english is strange**

**BAGUETTE: i keep telling you guys**

**BAGUETTE: french is much better**

**marialikemariah: ew french is so nasally**

**BAGUETTE: ! !  ! !   !**

**BAGUETTE: you just insulted my native language prepare for war**

**marialikemariah: never mind i have to go bye**

**marialikemariah: for real though james wants me**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: bye maria :)**

**marialikemariah: bye eliza ;)**

**idrawturtles: aww**

**idrawturtles: i ship**

**aneglicatheanegl: joHN LAURESN**

**hamtheman: ruh roh**

**aneglicatheanegl: YOU WILL NOT GO SHIPPINH MY SMALL SISTER**

**horseswithcorsets: *smol**

**pegsters: *smol**

**idrawturtles: *smol**

**aneglicatheanegl: SHOVE OFF YOu**

**BAGUETTE: *smol**

**hamtheman: oh are we doing that now**

**hamtheman: *smol**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: ooh yiss *smol**

**aneglicatheanegl: RARHHG**

**horseswithcorsets: i think we broke angelica**

**horseswithcorsets: *aneglica sorry my bad**

**idrawturtles: well she is banging her head on the table i bet she’ll break it**

**hamtheman: her head or the table**

**pegsters: gays the pizza is here i’ve been eating it**

**pegsters: *GUYS**

**pegsters: omfg**

**aneglicatheanegl: lololol ME THO**

**hamtheman: wait are you…?**

**aneglicatheanegl: lesbian. girls so much better than guys. sorry if you were interested ; )**

**aneglicatheanegl: or should i say gays**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: i feel so left out im straight**

**horseswithcorsets: ooh better not tell maria**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: stfu she has a bf and she is on this chat you idiot**

**pegsters: GUYS EAT NOW EVERYONE ELSE IS AND YOU WONT GET ANY**

**horseswithcorsets: okay okay lets eat**

***

Maria’s eyebrows knit together as she walked home, reading her texts and replying to them. A notification from James, her boyfriend, popped up.

**James < 3: i dont want you to hang out with those strange orchestra boys anymore**

**James < 3: theyre so crude**

She huffed a silent laugh to herself. Them, crude? Coming from him when he also sprayed milk out of his nose during contests with his friends Jefferson and Seabury at lunch?

**James < 3: and that new one, whats his face - hamilton?**

**Maria: they’re not doing anything bad, james, and they’re my friends**

**James < 3: let me finish maria**

**James < 3: wheres he from? whats his backstory? some bastard from the caribbean right**

**James < 3: i dont see why you hang out with them and the schuylers, at lease**

**James < 3: sit with us at lunch**

**James < 3: the cool band kids**

**Maria: ha funny**

**James < 3: what? that wasnt a joke maria tkae this seriously**

**James < 3: you need to cut off the orchestra boys. stop being friends with them**

**James < 3: the schuyler sisters you can stay friends with theyre not a problem**

**Maria: *siblings, peggy is nonbinary**

**James < 3: whatever, maria. we good on this?**

Maria stared at her phone. She was just becoming friends with all of them, being the last newcomer before Hamilton. She couldn’t just stop now, it was the first time she felt accepted into a group.

**James: < 3: if you dont stop im gonna hve to break up with you , i cant trust you if you wont do one small thing for me**

She sighed, passing a hand over her eyes like that would block out all her problems.

**Maria: ok**

**James < 3: glad we came to an agreement**

What is she gonna do now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If there was anything that you want me to put a warning for leave a comment and I'll do that :)  
> Also, I've fallen in love with writing chats  
> comments and kudos are appreciated and they make my day :)


	3. Alex gets Half a Solo, and We All Hate Charles Lee and Jefferson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex gets a co-solo with Angie in orchestra, he and Laurens are both covertly flirting, and Charles Lee and Jefferson are both idiots

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi again! slight tw for scratching - it is not intended to be self harming but just in case (there is no blood, just fingernails)  
> Also Charles Lee is slightly homophobic.  
> stay safe guys!

Two days later, Alex walked into the orchestra room again and, much more at ease this time, he plopped into his chair and unhooked the case from his cello’s pegs. He slid his bow out and tugged his new music binder out of the back of it, flipping it open and placing it on the stand since Angelica hadn’t arrived yet. He started playing the Simple Symphony to warm up, nodding at Angelica when she sat down next to him. After a few moments of easy back-and-forth with the others, Washington shushed all of them and said, “I’m going to hand out new music today as well as continuing to work on the Simple Symphony, so sit tight while we get that out as well.” The room started buzzing again, some of it about the music and some - Alex heard - was following the same mundane topics as before, like math class and lipstick and puppies.

Washington handed a stack of papers down to Alex, smiling at him. “Here you go, son.”

“Don’t call me son,” he snapped immediately before covering his mouth. Reflexes. He had no parents, his dad had up and left them and his mother had died. He could only connect negativity with the word. “I’m sorry sir, I didn’t mean to shout like that, I just… dislike that word. I hope you understand I didn’t mean anything by it, it was just a reflex of mine and -” He cut off as Washington laid a gentle hand on his shoulder and assured him, “It’s fine Alex, I’ll try to remember not to call you that in future. For now, why don’t you keep passing the music out?” He looked down at his hands, gripping the sheaf of music tightly in his sudden anger, and consciously relaxed them before taking two copies off the top -  _ Vivaldi Double Cello Concerto in G Minor _ \- and handing the stack back, giving one copy to Angelica. She scanned the music.

“No way.”

He looked quickly at her, worried, and asked “What’s wrong?”

She started to laugh quietly. “I played this last year with my private teacher. It’s got two cello solo parts.”

Something inside him jumped and sang a chorus of  _ hallelujah! _ when he heard her say the last sentence. A cello solo. Finally a way to prove himself. “There’ll be auditions, right?” She shook her head, adding “Probably not; they’ll be you and I because we’re the first stand.”

“What? Why?”

“I mean, we are the first two cellists…” she explained uncertainly. Alex supposed that it wasn’t the worst arrangement after all.

“Are you gonna do the first cello part?” he asked Angelica.

“Yup, unless you have any issues with that,” she checked. He shook his head. Had it been someone he wasn’t friends with, he probably would, but since he was only two days into school and didn’t know his friends very well (though bonding over fluffy cat gifs was a great way to get to know them, he’d discovered) he wasn’t going to risk it by challenging Angelica on the first solo part. Besides, from what he’d glimpsed of the part, the second part was about equal in difficulty.

Finally, all the music was handed out, and Washington raised his hand again for order. “I haven’t chosen this song in a long time - the last time this school’s orchestra played it was the first year I was here - but I feel that this year’s kids are strong enough to play it. What do you think?” The students waved their bows and cheered. “Alright, enough of that, so now that we’ve got that covered, Angie, you’ll take the first solo, and Alex, you’ve got the second.” The two nodded solemnly, Alex catching a glimpse of Eliza in her third seat and Peggy in front both waving jazz hands at Angelica without looking at each other. Mulligan was  _ right _ about the weird synchronization, these sisters - no, siblings - were the tightest he’d ever seen.

They started practicing. The non-solo parts were not difficult; there were some runs with lots of accidentals that messed some people up, but otherwise it was running smoothly. The solo parts were something else entirely, with lots of back-and-forth between the parts. Alex stumbled over the higher notes - he wasn’t as comfortable out of bass clef - but a lot of it was overlapping scales that was pretty simple. He liked this piece, it was rich and complex-sounding without being overly difficult or technical. That was Vivaldi for you.

Halfway through orchestra, they switched to Simple Symphony, which he had practiced at home, so he was much more comfortable with the song. Angelica hadn’t practiced as much it seemed, so he ended up cueing the section mostly for all the entrances. He liked that feeling, of responsibility for the whole cello section. And his standpartner seemed okay with letting him take the lead, so he milked it for all its worth and nearly poked Laurens in the side with his elbow. Who then looked over at him questioningly, so he smiled as brightly as he could and shrugged a little as if to say  _ Sorry _ , and Laurens nodded slightly.

The rest of orchestra passed in companionable music-making. The orchestra was considerably better after two days, though Alex did notice one kid in front of the second violin - sitting next to Laf, he felt so bad for them - who had absolutely no idea what they were doing, bow sliding wildly across the strings and nearly hitting Laf and Peggy on either side several times. After Washington let them out to unpack, he made his way across the crowded room to the bass corner where Laurens, Mulligan, and Laf were all hanging out. It seemed that they all collected there while waiting for the bell.

“Guys and nonbinary, who’s that kid that sits next to Laf? Sucks at violin,” he said.

Laf laughed (haha, Alex is so funny). “That  _ imbécile  _ is Charles Lee. He hates being called Charlie because he thinks it’s a - how you say? A combination of words?”

“A portmanteau?” Alex suggested.

“ _ Oui _ , that. A portmanteau.”

“One would think you’d know that, Laf, it sounds French,” Mulligan joked.

“It is,” Laurens spoke up. They all looked at him. Mulligan faked a supremely astounded face. “What? I like words,” he defended.

“Woo! High-five, bro!” Alex held his hand up for Laurens, who matched it with equal energy. He doubled over, pretending a mortal wound. “Auuugh, Laurens, that was harsh.” All three laughed at him. “I’m suffering a mortal wound here, you heartless people.”

The bell rang; Laurens grabbed his unaffected hand and yanked him along, swinging his whole arm. “Come on, Hammy, let’s go to science!” he cheered. The kid from before, Charles Lee, sneered at them.

Laurens caught the look. “You got a problem with this,  _ Charlie _ ?” He frowned, and Alex almost melted at Laurens’ upset, closed face. He didn’t want to see that ever again.

“Gay,” Lee tossed back with a lilt in his voice.

Laurens flushed and dropped Alex’s hand. His mind immediately jumped to  _ why did he do that? Is he actually straight? God, Alex, you’ve gone and fallen for someone who’s straight. Wait, when did you fall for him? _ He shook his head violently, earning an odd look from his friends and Lee.

Laf thankfully deflated the awkwardness surrounding them, waving their hand and saying “Come,  _ mes amis _ , it is time for class.” Laurens gratefully followed them, Alex pausing before leaving as well and Mulligan flipping off Lee before exiting the room.

Alex didn’t talk to Laurens as they headed to science together. He was still inwardly fuming at Lee’s speech. The ignorant violinist had ticked them both off. And was Laurens straight or not? He scratched at his arm and left long white streaks, trying to distract himself from speculating about his friend’s orientation.

Hands grabbed his and stopped him from scratching. “Don’t do that,” Laurens said gently. He shook his head, trying to go back to scraping at his skin with his fingernails, missing the tingle that rose under his skin as it turned white and then red. And oh, God, Laurens’ hands were so…  _ nice _ . He wasn’t sure if he could deal with this. His head was going to explode.

“But it helps,” he explained simply.

Laurens looked at him seriously, smile gone from his freckled face. “Alex?” He suppressed a shiver at the use of his first name. “I’m distracting myself from thinking about… uh… Lee.” Couldn’t tell Laurens - John - that the reason he was scratching himself was to stop thinking about what he now realized was a massive crush. How did that happen, a crush over the course of two days? But John was so cute, and funny, and sweet, and had a great grin and those freckles… He smiled to himself. John looked very, very confused as to why he was smiling about Lee but apparently decided to drop it in favor of getting to class on time.

“Shoot, Alex -” when had he started calling Alex by his first name, augh, he needed time to register this - “we’re gonna be late, come on!” He ran down the hallway, Alex standing still for a moment and then sprinting after him in hopes of catching up. (No such luck, since John was so much taller than him.)

***

“Watch it, Laurens, almost late again,” the teacher - Mr. Franklin - reprimanded him.

“Sorry, Mr. Franklin, it won’t happen again,” he apologized, looking back at Alex and winking.

“You bet it won’t, now sit down. Class is starting.” And speaking to the hastily assembled group of students, “Settle down and find your seats.” Alex liked Mr. Franklin, he had an easygoing yet no-nonsense air about him that kept the troublemakers down.

A puff of air at his ear made him jump. He twisted in his seat. The person sitting to his left smirked at him. Alex turned back towards the front, determined not to show emotion -  _ if you ignore them, they’ll ignore you _ , his mom had always taught him; time to put that to use.

Except not, because now a slip of paper landed on his desk, also from the left. He valiantly tried to ignore it, but his patience was wearing thin.

_ “Psst.” _

_ “New kid?” _

He took notes from the board with vehemence.

_ “Laurens’ new boytoy?” _

He turned at that. “ _ What _ do you want? And I’m not ‘Laurens’ new boytoy,’ I’m his friend. Can you not differentiate between the two? Oh, wait - you don’t have any friends.” By the end of his mini speech, his voice had risen to an easily audible level. He heard John hiss something at him but didn’t quite hear him, choosing to ignore and engage in this… conversation instead. If he could call it a conversation.

The kid raised their eyebrow. Jabbing a thumb at the quiet, studious looking person behind them, they said “Madison’s my friend, right Maddy?”

Without looking up, the person drawled “yes, Jefferson, and stop bothering Alexander.”

Jefferson whipped around. “Is your name Alexander?”

He lifted his chin. “I’m Alexander Hamilton. Who are you?”

“Thomas Jefferson.”

He heard Laurens again, this time more clearly.  _ “Alex!” _

Somewhat annoyed, he turned to John, raising his eyebrows as if to say  _ what could possibly be more important than me taking down this arrogant person _ ? He wasn’t quite sure John caught the entire sentiment, but he understood enough to whisper, “Alex, he’s an ass. Also, Franklin is glaring at you.”

Well, he trusted John, but he wasn’t ready to just go on his word, so he resolved to wait for more proof. Which came several minutes later. This guy was really asking for it.

To his left, he heard a hushed conversation rapidly rising in volume as the person Jefferson was talking to got more annoyed. “Shut up, Jefferson, I’m trying to listen to Franklin.”

“Sure thing, Theodosia, but are you positive you’d rather not listen to my mellifluous voice?”

“I’ve got a boyfriend, Thomas, and I’m not at all interested in you, you piece of filth. Leave me alone.”

“Piece of filth? That’s an improvement,” Jefferson commented. And then winked at her. And then waved his eyebrows suggestively.

Alex fumed inwardly. That  _ jerk _ was hitting on a girl who had  _ very clearly _ stated that she was… unappreciative of his advances. He heard Jefferson’s voice again, low and deliberate. “Are you absolutely sure you don’t want to leave that dingbat of a Burr behind for…” another wobbly eyebrow wave,  _ “me?” _

Wait. Burr had a girlfriend?

And Burr was the concertmaster. And he needed to be on good terms with the concertmaster.

What if Burr heard about this? And how he had failed to defend his girlfriend? He’d put in a bad word with Washington for sure. And Alex hadn’t been here long enough to leave a lasting impression that would go over Burr’s, for sure. He needed to say something.

_ “Jerkferson,” _ he hissed, rather proud of the name he’d given Jefferson.

“Are you talking to me?” Unlike him, Jefferson was speaking at a normal level.

“Stop hitting on Burr’s girlfriend. She’s taken, you idiot, can’t you see that?”

“You think you… pipsqueak of an idiot can stop me from doing whatever I want? I’ll show you,” he said smugly and tried to lay a hand on Theodosia’s arm.

The next thing Alex heard was a  _ whack! _ as she slapped him, hard. “Jefferson, I told you to stop it.” She turned back to the front and resumed taking notes studiously, rigid posture telling everyone involved that if he made another move there’d be far worse consequences. Jefferson sank back into his seat as he cradled his face. Alex tried very hard not to laugh and probably failed miserably, and if the stifled huffs from his right were any indication, John was struggling as well.

“Yes, Jerkferson, you totally did a great job of showing me what you could do with your suave skills,” Alex gasped out.

His face tightened. “I’ll get you for this, Hamilton. Just you wait.” He turned back to face front, ignoring Alex and John as they tried to stop laughing.

“Jefferson just got  _ owned _ ,” John whispered, smearing tears from the corners of his eyes.

“You mean Jerkferson?” Alex joked. Laurens burst into laughter anew at that.

“You boys over there, stop it,” Franklin ordered from his place at the whiteboard.

“Yes, sir, sorry,” Alex answered, the first to recover.

“Good. Now, several pieces of evidence that support evolution include embryology, skeletal structure, comparing DNA…”

He felt Laurens tap his elbow. “Ham.” He turned subtly towards him, trying not to attract Franklin’s attention again. “Do you wanna come to gay club with us today?” John seemed suddenly tense, like it was the moment of truth or something.

“What’s ‘gay club’?” he asked.

“You know, the… the… GSA? QSA? I don’t remember, we just call it gay club. We go there and talk about stuff.” Alex paused, and Laurens’ face fell. “Allies are allowed too, if you’re straight…”

“Oh, no, I’m very much bi, I was just thinking. I have a lot of homework today, I don’t have much time. I’d love to go though.” Laurens’ entire body relaxed, immensely relieved, and he immediately replaced his sunny smile.

“Aw, Alex, you have to, come on the whole gang will be there and it’s really fun! And we’ll all make fun of Burr together, that annoying kid - he goes with his girlfriend, Theo,” he said, nodding towards the girl Jefferson had been hitting on. “She’s pan, he’s straight.”

Alex debated with himself. This was probably a rite of passage with the group - if he went (and made fun of Burr properly) he’d be completely accepted into the little gang.

John broke through his train of thought. “Eliza will be there too, she’s an ally - no one makes fun of her because Angie’s her sister and would tear anyone who even looked at her the wrong way in half,” he added uncertainly, looking at Alex in a bashful way that was entirely too cute.

Could he tell that he liked Eliza? But he liked John too, and if John was going to this ‘gay club’ then he probably wasn’t straight… right? “Why would I care if Eliza went?” he asked, faking confusion because  _ no one could know, he’s never told anyone his crushes before except that one time when he did and it turned out  _ \- He scratched his arm again, one long swipe down the inside of his right arm. John grabbed him. “Don’t, Alex.”

He made his decision.

“Okay, I’ll go.”

John looked at him gleefully and hugged him, right in the middle of science class. He smiled.

“Boys over there, I warned you once already…”

“How dare you assume our genders?” Alex called back cheerfully, not letting go of John.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed. i'm trying to stick to an update every four days but probably gonna get more skewed as I go through finals next week. comments and kudos are appreciated!


	4. QSA! and John is smol and doesn't deserve his dad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They go to the QSA and Alex fights Seabury (not actually), John gets a call from his dad, Jefferson is lowkey salty about Alex stealing his thunder (ayy), and Alex makes a bad decision. Since when does Alex not make bad decisions?  
> tw for homophobia and slight biphobia (more like ignorance than anything, but just in case)  
> enjoy!

Alex stopped at a random classroom to ask where the guidance counselor’s room was, since that was apparently where the gay club - officially QSA - was meeting. He headed up the set of stairs in the main lobby and found the room, with a small sign on the ajar door:  _ QSA _ , and a lot of rainbows and unicorns and different pride flags - he identified the gay one, and then bi, ace, nonbinary, and trans, along with others.

Tentatively, he pushed the door open and stuck his head in. Only Peggy was in the room, sitting in a cushy chair and swinging their legs aimlessly. “Hi, Ham. Didn’t realize you were coming,” they greeted. He slipped into the small room and pushed the door near-shut behind him.

He almost raised his eyebrow before remembering what a disaster that had been. “I thought Laurens told you guys.”

They shook their head. “No, though I didn’t realize you were so close already,” they said, winking suggestively. Alex turned red and immediately willed himself to stop blushing with little success. Peggy cackled. “Aww, look at little Alex! He’s all red.”

“Shut up, Peggy,” he muttered with little venom.

The door creaked behind him and Eliza and Angelica came into the room, looking around. “Only you two are here yet? And good to see you, Alex, didn’t think you’d be interested in these things,” Angelica said.

“Are you kidding? The LGBTQ+ community is one of the most important things I could be defending, people pretend to accept it only because the rest of the country would shame them for it and yet they still use the f-word, and I don’t mean the swear, in common language. And then if people are ‘allies’, most of them don’t even know what the less common sexualities or gender identities and whatnot are. And -”

“Calm down, Alex,” Angelica laughed, “we get it. You care about this.” He nodded violently. “Yes I do.”

They lapsed back into comfortable conversation as more people filed into the room, Alex mentioning that he was bi to those who asked why he was there.

John, Lafayette, and Mulligan burst into the room, shouting in sync “AYYYY WHAT TIME IS IT?!”

“Time for all of you to sit down.” A lady swept grandly into the room after them, pulling the door shut behind her. “I’m Mrs. Ross, or you can call me Betsy. I’m the guidance counselor that runs the QSA, or ‘gay club’ as I know many of you call it,” she said, winking at John. Her crows’ feet showed themselves as she smiled broadly. “Now, I see several new faces here, so why don’t we introduce ourselves and our pronouns again?” The people that went frequently groaned, and she admonished, “Stop complaining, we need to do this for every new person.” The Schuylers turned as one and fake-glared at Alex. “This is all your fault, Alex,” Peggy scolded. He pretended to shrink into himself.

“I’m so sorry that I wanted to come and see what all the big fuss was about,” he defended. They laughed. “I’m kidding Alex, relax.” He did so.

With a minimal amount of hustling, Mrs. Ross pushed them into a big circle so they could see everyone’s face. “Anyone want to start?” She was met with a roomful of innocently blank faces. She sighed. “Okay, Laf, you start then.”

They bounced in their seat. “I’m Laf, they/them/theirs pronouns,” they said excitedly, hair springing everywhere. Alex wondered if they were ever calm. Probably not.

Introductions went around the circle, people cheerfully naming their pronouns as well as their names.

“Well, now that that’s done with, let’s talk. Is there anything anyone wants to discuss?”

Angelica Schuyler raised her hand and said, “The way people think the ‘A stands for ally’, which is just inherently incorrect and actually, it stands for asexual, and how the asexual community is underrepresented in the LGBTQ+ community…”

For the next forty-five minutes, Alex listened to the conversation, still not quite sure what to say. He agreed with most of the things said and had his own ideas about some of the other topics, but he wasn’t honestly comfortable enough to join in. Yet.

That was until one kid - Samuel “Call me Sam” Seabury - stated, “I don’t get bisexuality, why can’t people just pick a side?”

The room sat silently, several people glaring at him as he lifted his chin defiantly. Alex’s body thrummed with anger. “I’m serious though,” he insisted, “why don’t they? Most people can. And pansexual is understandable because it’s no matter what gender, right? And then there’s bi, which is just pan but discriminating against some people. It makes no sense!”

_ That’s it. This kid needs to be shut down. _ He rocketed to his feet. “Okay, you know what? You might be here for a reason, but that reason is not to attack others. This is designed to be a safe space for  _ all _ people, including bisexuals. Moreover, being bisexual is completely valid - there is no need to ‘choose’ between genders for pansexuals, is there? Why does that apply to bisexual people then? Attractions can be based on gender as much as they can be based on personality, intelligence, physical appearance, and so on. Discriminating against others within our own community is just going to divide us from within and we will  _ never _ get anything done if people continue to fight!” He was practically heaving with passion at the end of his improvised speech, hands waving everywhere and hair mussed from pulling on it as he spoke.

Seabury shrugged smugly at him. “As a gay person, I get a lot of crap about my sexuality. Why should you allow yourself to be in such a position that you can like both boys and girls? You’re either straight and faking your sexuality or gay and like boys, it can’t be both,” he challenged.

Alex raised an eyebrow. “As a matter of fact, I can like both, I have had crushes on both genders before, and I currently have a crush on a guy. But I don’t always have a crush on two people, nor do I always have a crush.” He felt rather than saw John shift at this.

“Then you’re gay.”

“Don’t change the wording and repeat the same ideas at me! God, you sound like a parrot. My dog could debate me better than you ever could!”

The room had been silent thus far, listening to the passionate - on Alex’s side, at least - debate, but at this John burst out laughing. “Ouch, Alex.”

He took the time to toss a bright smile John’s way before turning back to Seabury, eyes narrowing at the boy’s continued attitude. “Why should you be allowed to decide what’s right and not? It’s our job to be accepting of everyone. Maybe you can’t get that through your small, close-minded head, but give it a try.”

The room was silent when he finished his impromptu speech, until John started slow-clapping, and then Laf and Mulligan joined in, and then the Schuylers and Theo and even Burr, and he felt a rush of pride. Seabury just continued sitting there, sulky look on his face.

Eventually Mrs. Ross raised her hand for quiet. “That was a good discussion, Alex, but next time perhaps tone it down a little… that got quite personal in the end.”

“I  _ meant _ for it to be personal, that ignorant idiot,” he retorted. She glared at him, and he slumped back. “Okay, fine.”

“Thank you,” she checked the clock behind her, “and time’s up, so I’ll see you all next week!”

The students muttered a chorus of ‘thank yous’ and exited the room in a staggered formation, talking quietly. Alex overheard several “did you see that new kid? he tore Seabury apart”s and “omg, Seabury so needed to be taken down a few notches, the arrogant jerk,” and he felt another burst of happiness. This was the start of his legacy at this school.

“That was awesome, Alex, you ripped him a _ part _ !” John caught up with him and bumped his shoulder happily. He made no attempt at modesty. “I know, right? He was so confused,” he laughed, John laughing with him.  _ Melody and harmony _ , he thought absently,  _ we’re in tune _ . He chuckled under his breath.

“What?” John asked slightly less enthusiastically, confused.

“Nothing, just bad music puns,” he answered.

Something buzzed and played a horrible, tinkling melody. John paled and stopped walking, hands suddenly clenching the straps on his backpack. “John?” He stared into the distance, swaying a little on his feet. “Hey, John, are you okay?”

“I… have a phone call to take. I’ll… see you later, I guess. Bye, Alex,” he said distantly. He turned his backpack to the front and started rifling through the pockets for his little phone.

Alex, to put it lightly, was very, very confused. Why was John suddenly so far away? What was happening?

John flapped his hand at Alex, clearly not wanting him to overhear this, and Alex started walking backwards slowly, watching John the whole time. In the distance, he saw John’s eyebrows furrow more as he picked up the call. “Dad?”

He was out of earshot.

Alex really, really hoped John was okay.

***

“Dad?”

_ “You’re not my son, remember? Let’s start that over: Hello, Jack. I was calling to check up on you.” _

“Um, hi… I - I’m fine, yeah.”

_ “Good. So some friends of mine, the Mannings, it turns out they also have a daughter in Manhattan.” _

John sighed. “I’m really not looking for a date right now.”

_ “Nonsense. How else will we take care of your… little problem?” _

“It’s not a problem, Dad - ignore that - it’s part of me.”

_ “Jackie, don’t you remember why I sent you to Manhattan in the first place?” _

He was getting a headache from this. “Yes.”

_ “You can’t come back to South Carolina until you’re over your phase, Jack. I’ll have her parents give her your address, you should meet her. She’s a very nice girl, from what I’ve heard.” _

“I - okay. I’ll give it a try.”

_ “Don’t sound so reluctant Jack, it’s for your own good.” _

“Yes, Dad.”

_ “What did I say about calling me your father? You aren’t my child until you’ve fixed the mess you’ve gotten yourself into. This is your fault.” _

“I apologize, sir. It is my fault, sir.”

_ “Good boy. I have a meeting now. Don’t mess up your date with the girl. Her name’s Martha, by the way. Goodbye, Jack.” _

“Good… Good to know. Okay. Bye.” He almost choked on the words.

_ Time to go home, John. _ He forced himself to start walking towards the small apartment where he lived alone. His dad was nothing if not rich. He was able to have a flat to himself. For the small fee of getting malicious calls from his dad at random times. He thought about texting Alex, who was probably worried, but decided ultimately that it was better to keep him out of this part of his life. Alex, who was perfect and adorable and passionate about all of the things he couldn’t be passionate about for fear of the backlash from his family. Alex, who was probably free of all of these things, who could be openly out and proud because there was no one to be mad at him if he were, who didn’t have the threat of his father hanging over him. He had to figure this out by himself, just like he always did.

***

Alex saw the cramped figure of John ahead of him in the hallway, a bubble of quiet in the rowdy mess of people at their lockers. “John!” he exclaimed, poking said boy on the shoulder. John flinched away from him, hunching almost into his open locker.

“Oh. John?” he asked uncertainly.

“Hi, Alex,” John mumbled, burying his head in the mess of his locker.

“Um… are you okay?” Alex felt a surge of protectiveness. He was clearly not okay. If this was his dad from yesterday… It better not be. He vowed to chew out John’s dad if he ever saw him.

“Yes.” John sped up his routine, grabbing papers and books at random and yanking himself out of the small cavern of his locker. “I have to go to homeroom now, see you later,” he said, speech rushed and unclear. Not nearly as enunciated as usual. Alex’s eyebrow furrowed. “…Okay?” He turned to watch John dodge through the crowd, head bobbing in and out of sight.

He went back to his locker and got the stuff he needed for his first four classes; they had another locker break in the middle of the day. It was a little weird; at his last school he’d been allowed to carry his backpack with him and not have to go to locker. He pondered over John’s reaction to him. It felt like John was almost… afraid of him.

Whatever. He’d see him at lunch, anyway.

***

“Who’s that arrogant bastard from science?” Thomas Jefferson slammed his locker shut and spoke angrily, facing James Madison. James shrugged. Best to just nod along and go with whatever Thomas was saying when he was in one of these moods. He tuned back into Thomas’ impassioned rant to hear, “…and he thinks he can just tell me to shut up and that I’ll do it! Like, where does he get that authority? Why does he think he can control  _ moi _ ?”

James chose to focus on the last word. “Thomas, you know real French people hate it when you speak French,” he said, attempting to divert the flow of anger Thomas was directing at Hamilton.

“But France is such a lovely country, I have to honor it!” Thomas protested. He rolled his eyes.

“Thomas, you only spent one summer there.”

“And it was the best summer of my life,  _ non _ ? You spent the summer with me.”

_ Yes, but only because you were there. _ “Well, I got to watch the fascinating process of you turning into a Francophile.”

Thomas sighed dramatically. He certainly had a flair for theater. That was one of the things James liked about him. “Whatever, little man, let’s just go to class. Band, right?”

“Little man?” he asked indignantly, as Thomas slung an arm over his shoulder and dragged him down the hall.

“Yeep. Time to practice, yay. Can’t wait to take the orchestra down a few notches though, all of them are so arrogant about their scores at the Greater Manhattan Festival.”

“You know everyone just calls it the GMF, right?”

“Mm-hmmmm. We’re off to see the wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz!” sang Thomas, skipping down the hallway and knocking half of James’ books out of his arms. He sighed heavily and bent over to pick them up.

“Thomas, wait up.”

***

“Hi guys,” greeted Alex, swinging a leg over the bench and squeezing in between Eliza and John. The former leaned into him, like usual, but John… was still acting distant and leaned away, towards Laf and Mulligan. He frowned. Butted into their conversation.

“Hi John! What’s up?” John flinched. He waited. John continued eating his sandwich with a tenseness that hid the placid demeanor he was putting up. “John?” John ignored him. “John. John. John.”

“Hamilton, stop it,” muttered John, turning away from him. What the heck was going on here?

_ Okay, fine. Be that way. _

“Hey Eliza! How has your day been so far?”  _ I’m gonna aggressively ignore him back, if that’s what he wants. _ She turned the faintest shade of red, dusting her cheeks.

“Good, I guess. We started the project for term 1 in tech, it’s gonna be really cool.”

He nodded. “What’s the project?”

She started, a little guiltily. “I keep forgetting you’re new, otherwise you’d probably know. Um, we build a hot-air balloon out of tissue paper and then fly it in the cafeteria. It’s fun. And then you fill out a bunch of papers about what you learned and all that… that part’s less fun.” She laughed, eyes twinkling. He nodded. Didn’t really understand what she was talking about, but the point was to pretend he didn’t care about John, wasn’t it? She kept talking about her day, and it was interesting, yes, but he didn’t know any of the people she was talking about (except for Burr, who apparently in Science almost lit himself on fire despite Franklin’s constant warnings to stay at least two feet away from the Bunsen burner he was using; he laughed until his ribs hurt at that) and he was still thinking about John. He couldn’t get over the obvious enmity there. He’d thought he’d been doing a good job, not too forward but just flirty enough, but maybe John didn’t like that? He hoped he hadn’t scared him away, it was only the fourth day. Maybe it was the hand-holding. But John had seemed to like it, even initiated the touch a couple of times (albeit uncertainly, but he relaxed when Alex squeezed his hand in a comforting sort of way), so that probably wasn’t it.

Eliza was nice, in a quietly friendly sort of way. And from what he picked up from Angelica and her attitude, she probably liked him. But he didn’t like her back. He just flirted with everything on legs, and he hoped she didn’t take it personally. On the upside, Eliza would probably be okay with it if they went out together, but that would really mess his relationship with John up, and as much as he liked Eliza, he didn’t want to hurt John.

“Alex?” He started listening to Eliza again.

“Yeah, what?”

She took a deep breath, smiled. “Would you be opposed to going for coffee with me this afternoon?”

_ Wait what? _

“With the whole gang? Sure,” he deflected, feeling the slightest bit of guilt begin to gnaw at him.

She blushed. “No, um… just the two of us?” She pulled up the end of the sentence, making it a question.

“Oh! Um…”  _ I wasn’t planning to take this that far, but sure, why not? Eliza’s nice. _ “Okay. Meet at my locker afterschool? Sorry I don’t know where your locker is yet,” he replied. Ignored the awkward shuffling sound from behind him, where John was. She beamed.

“Okay! See you then!”

He felt someone tug at the back of his coat. He turned around; it was Laf. “Alex, may I see you for a moment?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dun dun dun
> 
> also, trying to stick to a four or five day update schedule, but it's been a rough week with finals and all that. soz :(  
> comments and kudos make my day :)  
> hope you enjoyed!


	5. Dates All Around

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex and Eliza go on a date, John sets up a date, and Laf is very annoyed with both of them.

Lafayette grabbed his sleeve and yanked him out into the hall.

“ _What_ are you doing?” they hissed. He tried to look as innocent as possible.

“What?”

“Why are you going out with Eliza?” He noticed that their French accent became more pronounced when they were angry.

“Because I like her, Laf. Is that so difficult?”

“ _Non_ , Alex, it is John you like! You two look at each other with the most helpless, how you say? Lovey-dovey eyes? What are you doing to our John?”

“I’m allowed to like whomever I want, Laf. You don’t control me,” he said defensively. Yes, he knew perfectly well that there were ulterior motives in accepting Eliza’s date (maybe John would be jealous?) but Eliza was a nice girl and he would like to get to know her better. Even if it was under the pretense of a date. He tuned back in to see Laf shaking their head grimly.

“Eliza does not deserve you, _mon copain_. And if you hurt her, Angie will kill you.”

Alex nodded. “Yeah, I know. She gave me a preemptive shovel talk the first day I was here. It was… intimidating, to say the least,” he said.

Laf narrowed their eyes. “When Angie is done with you, I will be next. Treat her well, Alex,” they warned. Alex swallowed uncomfortably. “Understood. I will.”

They turned and stalked back into the cafeteria without another word, leaving Alex in the hall, staring after them.

***

Alex perched up in his chair, watching the clock. Books precariously laid on his desk in a pile at least a foot tall.

The bell rang.

He flew out of the room.

His locker was all the way across the school, though - he’d been at his Latin class, since he already knew French and Spanish, and it was in a separate wing of the school - so by the time the small ball of energy had fought his way back to his locker, Eliza was already waiting there, hair pulled back in a French braid. She was texting someone on her phone, slight furrow between her eyes. She looked up when he came to an abrupt stop by his locker, panting. The furrow smoothed out and her face lit up. “Hey, Alex.”

“Hi,” he gasped in return, spinning the combo into his lock and pulling open the little door. He heaved binders out of the cramped space and stuffed them into his backpack, explaining as he did, “sorry I took so long, I was at Latin and it’s all the way across the school, I ran all the way here though -” He was cut off by her quiet laugh - a lot of things about her were quiet, actually, he liked that about her, she was so peaceful, an eye of the storm in his mind - “calm down, Alex, it’s fine. I’ve only been waiting for like two minutes.”

“A whole two minutes of your life I’ve wasted, Eliza. Please forgive me,” he said dramatically, laying the back of his hand over his forehead and swooning. She giggled.

He finished packing his backpack and slung it over a shoulder, grabbing Eliza’s hand with his free hand. “Let’s go!” She nodded her agreement and they headed towards the front doors, Alex chattering amiably and Eliza speaking much more calmly.

It was a greyish day, clouds hanging over the sky and making everything a lot cooler than it would usually be in September. The leaves hadn’t started changing yet, resulting in a muted, dull-green color with flashes of grey-brown bark. Eliza sighed happily. “I love these days, they’re so much quieter than sunny days. And they’re not too hot, either… I was getting tired of the heat.”

Beside her, Alex shrugged and said “I dunno, I like it when it’s sunny… it’s so much easier to do things. And the world feels a lot more open even if you’re just inside all day working or whatever.”

“Where would you be working?” Eliza asked curiously. He froze up momentarily, having just remembered that he’d planned not to talk about his past. Except for that slip-up with Burr.

“Never mind,” he deflected and changed the subject.

The walk to the coffee shop was quiet, Alex talking much louder than necessary and overcompensating for his small body, hands waving, and Eliza replying in a toned-down but equally thoughtful manner. She stopped him after he’d tried to walk past the shop with “Alex, we’re here.”

It was a tiny shop, quaint and squished between the art supply store on the right and the gigantic movie theater on the left. A gritty-looking but polished sign over the thick wooden door labeled the place _Libertea_ with a tiny engraving of what looked like the Boston Tea Party. Little bells chimed as they pushed open the door together, holding hands. The store smelled amazing, with coffee and tea brewing by the wall and a rack of little pastries by the counter. It was empty besides them, and a short pink-haired woman wearing a homemade apron and a nametag with _Rachel_ written in big rainbow letters bustled over to them. “Hi Eliza, good to see you again! Is there anything I can get you two?” She winked. Alex shook his head as Eliza replied, “no, thank you, we’ll look first.”

They scanned the shelves in front. Alex’s mouth was watering; everything just looked so _good_ and he wanted to buy everything. “Have you picked yet?” Eliza asked him, already pulling out her wallet.

“I can pay for myself Eliza, it’s fine,” he rushed, turning his backpack around to the front and rummaging through it for his wallet, but Eliza took his hand and stopped him. “I asked you out, I pay,” she said, her voice holding a gentle but steely quality that told Alex not to argue. He nodded, subdued. “Can I have a cream cheese cupcake?” She raised one perfect eyebrow at him. “That’s all you want?” He fought himself for a moment before blurting, “and a snickerdoodle cookie.”

“Any drinks? This is technically a place for tea.”

“Um. Whatever you think I’d like, I guess,” he answered tentatively.

“Rachel? Can we have a cream cheese cupcake, two snickerdoodles, and an apple croissant? Also two small black teas.” Alex watched the woman efficiently grab the pastries with a piece of wax paper and slide them into a little bag, then hand Eliza two cups and say “tea is in the back, free refills for you two,” and winking. Eliza thanked her politely and paid, then went to the back and filled the cups, pouring a sugar packet in hers and sipping from it. “Mm.” She stuck out her other hand, giving Alex his cup and the bag of pastries. “C’mon, let’s go sit.”

He followed her to the window seats, with a little counter and high seats. He swung his feet and sipped at the tea - it was indeed good quality, yum. And the cookie was amazing. And the cupcake. Eliza looked at him and laughed. “You’ve got frosting on your nose,” she said, reaching over and swiping it off with her thumb. She looked at it, seemed to deliberate for a moment, then licked it off. “I live for cream cheese frosting.” He looked at her, slightly surprised at how bold she was being. She was in her element here.

They stayed at Libertea for another three hours, chatting amiably and eating slowly (and going back for a lot of refills of the amazing tea). Alex talked to the lady at the counter a little bit more, and within ten minutes of talking, she started calling him ‘sweetheart’ and so on. She was a very maternal figure. Alex liked her. Turned out she worked here regularly and saw a lot of students, and she and Eliza were already friends.

However, eventually they had to leave, citing homework as their reasons as Rachel waved them out the door. “Come back soon!” The bells tinkled again as they pushed outside.

“I like her,” Alex said after a pause.

“Me too. She’s part of the reason why I go there so often,” Eliza laughed. “I have to go home now, I told my dad I’d be home before sundown and my house is a decent twenty minutes’ walk. Bye Alex!”

He waved goodbye to her cheerfully, then pulled up his backpack and turned the other way to walk home. His uncle probably wouldn’t be happy that he’d stayed out this late. _Oh well_.

He pulled out his phone and texted the squad.

**hamtheman: ello**

**pegsters: ham my man**

**horseswithcorsets: that’s vasically his username peg**

**pegsters: how was it**

**pegsters: also @herc do you think i care**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: it was great**

**aneglicatheanegl: did alex mess up**

**hamtheman: who me**

**hamtheman: i have lived a completely blameless life**

**hamtheman: i have no idea what youre getting at**

**horseswithcorsets: laf just spit water all over their phone**

**pegsters: ufh are they ghosting again**

**BAGUETTE: non mon chéri**

**hamtheman: are u at their house**

**BAGUETTE: oui**

**horseswithcorsets: no alex i just miraculously knew that they spit water**

**hamtheman: ah**

**hamtheman: yes i am smart**

**hamtheman: #smartestintheroom**

**aneglicatheanegl: you wish**

**pegsters: yas angie get it**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: burn him good**

**hamtheman: no dont burn him**

**pegsters: vote now on your phones!**

**pegsters: and everyone voted so hard that the palace caught fire and burned down**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: no Peggy**

**pegsters: YES PEGGY**

**aneglicatheanegl: to be fair history of japan is great**

**hamtheman: ok what was that referencing tho**

**pegsters: ***GASSPSSSS*******

**horseswithcorsets: ur mum**

_hamtheman _ _has left the conversation_

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: guys dont**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: i think theres something going on there**

**aneglicatheanegl: yeah,,, why did he come here so abruptly**

**horseswithcorsets: gp okay im sorry**

**aneglicatheanegl: dont apologize to us apologize to alex**

_horseswithcorsets_ _has added_ _hamtheman_ _to the conversation_

**horseswithcorsets: sorry alex that was uncalled for**

**hamtheman: youre right**

**hamtheman: but out of the goodmess of my heart ill forgive u**

**pegsters: “good mess” indeed**

**hamtheman: crap**

**hamtheman: *goodness**

Alex looked up. It was getting dark and he was still five minutes away from home. Whoops. Should probably stop texting.

**hamtheman: i gotta go now bye guys**

As sped up his walking pace, he wondered why John hadn’t been on the chat at all. Maria he understood, since she hadn’t been online recently - from what he gathered, her boyfriend was very possessive - but why John?

He let himself into the house, shuddering when he heard his uncle’s loud, abrasive voice ask him where he’d been. Time to face dinner.

***

John threw himself onto his twin bed. He had a decent apartment by himself, and yeah maybe he was a little young to have it by himself but his dad hadn’t wanted him to board with anyone and raise more questions. _Hide the evidence_ , he supposed, of his failure of a son. By shipping him off to Manhattan.

John didn’t care, he was a lot freer this way. The only bad part was that he wouldn’t be able to defend the kids… he worried about his siblings all the time. Martha had probably taken over what he’d used to do; though she was only eight years old or so she was a lot older for her mind.

He messed around online for a bit, watching random YouTube videos and trying to laugh at them to take his mind off of The Date. Alex and Eliza were probably flirting at that very moment. He hoped he wasn’t a horrible person for wishing that the date didn’t go well - after all Eliza was his friend, and he wanted her to be happy - but he was already going to hell anyway so he might as well. Ugh.

 _Oh_ , and there was that other date with that girl his dad had mentioned. What was her name? Manning. Something Manning? He couldn’t very well call up his dad and ask. He hoped that wasn’t going to be too bad. Just one meet-up with this girl and he’d be done. He dropped the phone by his side and sighed, covering his eyes with his hand. He really didn't want to pretend to enjoy being on a date with this girl.

His phone dinged again. Wearily, he picked it back up and held it over his head, squinting.

**hamtheman: ello**

He tossed his phone across the room, pulled his pillow over his face and screamed into it. From the pile of clothes his phone had landed in (he really should clean that up), his phone kept buzzing. He heaved himself to his feet and picked it up, powering it off. Unable to deal with the thought of Alex right now.

Wait, if Alex was texting did that mean the date hadn’t gone well?

Suddenly, the world felt a lot more hopeful. He powered the phone back on, drumming his fingers on his thigh impatiently as he waited. Finally, finally it turned on. He scrolled through his notifications, ghosting without showing up as having read the messages.

**pegsters: how was it**

**pegsters: also @herc do you think i care**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: it was great**

Well, fantastic whoop-de-do for them. He was Bitter with a capital _b_.

The device dinged again, buzzing cheerfully. He looked at it with as much hate as possible.

**Unknown number: hello is this john laurens**

**John: who are you**

**Unknown number: martha**

Martha? Was that the girl his dad was trying to set him up with?

**John: manning?**

**Unknown number: thats me. my parents gave me your number and address**

Stalkers, all of them.

**John: we have to go on a date huh**

Who cared if he were less than friendly? His goal was to sound downright hostile.

**Martha (?): yeaaaa**

**Martha (?): fun times**

Maybe she wasn’t interested in him after all. Good, that would make this whole thing  _ that  _ much easier.

**John: you free tmw**

**Martha (?): prolly. how about that little caf down the street from ur house**

**John: sounds good**

**Martha (?): cant believe our parents are setting us up**

**John: ya right**

**John: gtg though gotta eat**

He really didn’t. He just felt like it was time to make a smooth exit to the conversation.

**Martha (?): cool beans. see ya**

**John: bye**

He switched over to the other chat. Two could play this game.

**idrawturtles: i got a date tomorrow!**

**hamtheman: what?**

**pegsters: that’s great laurens!**

**BAGUETTE: ugfhfhhfh i give up**

**BAGUETTE: you are hopeless and so is ham**

**hamtheman: whAT?**

**horseswithcorsets: wow for once you’ve rendered him speechless**

**pegsters: lol**

**hamtheman: i**

**hamtheman: i cant**

**hamtheman: congratulations.**

_hamtheman_ _has left the conversation_

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: wait what just happened**

**marialikemariah: what**

**BAGUETTE: well i know**

**BAGUETTE: john what in the world**

**idrawturtles: what**

**BAGUETTE: you know very well what**

**idrawturtles: …let’s put this on the private chat, yes?**

**aneglicalikeanegl: you’re so stupid john**

**aneglicalikeanegl: jeez even i know**

Lafayette called him. _“What are you doing, John?”_

He got defensive. “I’m going on a date, and I wanted to tell everyone.”

_“You like Alex! Don’t be stupid!”_

“Who are you to tell me who I like? I’m allowed to like whomever I want.”

_“I just… you and Alex clearly like each other -”_

“He does not like me! He likes Eliza!” John interrupted, too late thinking that he was probably exposing himself by protesting.

_“Oh please, have you seen the way he looks at you? Four days, perhaps, and he looks at you like you are the sun.”_

Did he really?

“No he doesn’t.”

Lafayette sighed loudly into the phone. _“John, you are very very oblivious sometimes.”_

“How is it that you know the word ‘oblivious’ and still use ‘how you say’?”

_“…I give up. Enjoy your date.”_

“I… will, thank you very much.”

Laf hung up. He sighed and buried his head in his hands. He had no idea what he was doing with his life.

***

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: im still so confused**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: whats happening**

**BAGUETTE: i dont know anymore**

**horseswithcorsets: wait John**

**idrawturtles: you called**

**horseswithcorsets: whos the date**

**idrawturtles: this girl**

**idrawturtles: her names martha manning**

**aneglicatheanegl: i think i know her**

**aneglicatheanegl: p sure shes in my english class actually**

**idrawturtles: really? wow**

**idrawturtles: i didnt think she went to our school**

**pegsters: how did u meet her**

**idrawturtles: my dad**

**aneglicatheanegl: wait u ok**

**BAGUETTE: but i thought,,,**

**idrawturtles: yeep**

**idrawturtles: the phone call went about as well as youd imagine**

**pegsters: *hugs* it ok johm we r ur friends**

**aneglicatheanegl: damn right**

**horseswithcorsets: anyone hurts you, i hurt them**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: ill help**

**pegsters: me too**

**BAGUETTE: me three**

**idrawturtles: … thanks you guys**

**idrawturtles: ilyall**

***

Alex had been ghosting through the conversation. He was pretty confused. And hurt. John’s betrayal had hurt him more than he imagined it would. Despite it not being a real betrayal… he didn’t own John, John was not his, and he’d never be able to date John. Pssh, John might not even be interested in the male kind. Here he was, confidently picking up girls.

And he was jealous.

He really shouldn’t have taken Eliza out on the date. He kind of regretted it now… yet another mistake in his long long list of them. Laf had been right.

Lafayette really was scarily perceptive. Mulligan was intimidating at first but really a softie at heart, Maria was incredibly smooth and gorgeous, Peggy was old for their age (he supposed it came from hanging out with the older Schuylers) but innocent at the same time, Angelica was the mom friend who scared every new kid into behaving, Eliza… Eliza was a cinnamon roll that probably didn’t deserve what he was doing to her. But he needed to keep it up, otherwise Angelica would probably kill him.

And then there was John, perfect John who was beautiful and freckled and cheerful, who lit up his days like he was the sun. John, who wasn’t interested in him, who Alex had led to believe he wasn’t interested in John, when they were both going on separate dates with separate people.

Oh, John.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed! updates might be speeding up soonish, since school is almost out for me. comments and kudos really make my day (since im a hopeless lonely human being with no life)


	6. Movie Night!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Movie night with the squad, and Alex and John are both hiding things that they really shouldn't be

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ugh so I was on vacation and wrote a bunch all at once? but i don't really like it... tbh i don't love most of my writing but here I am writing stories about old dead white dudes. what has the world come to  
> hope you enjoy!

Over the course of the next month, Alex and Jefferson had clashed six more times in class and countless times on social media. The orchestra had practiced and improved a ton. From what Alex had heard, the band still sucked, but from experience Alex was pretty sure that they were better than they thought. People tended to think worse of their own performances.

Alex had gone on another date with Eliza and enjoyed it, despite feeling guilty about leading her on a little. John had also gone on his date and seemingly enjoyed it enough to go on another two dates with Martha. He was still jealous, but he wasn't mad at her; he was mad at John. For letting their dates come between their friendship. Both of them were still good friends with the rest of the squad, but they didn't talk to each other and he was aching inside from what he diagnosed as “a lack of John encounters.”

The rest of the squad, however, had grimly accepted the facts that both he and John had dates that were not each other (the Schuylers, actually, were fully accepting Alex and Eliza, though they were still wary of how he could hurt Eliza) and were trying to get them to talk to each other again. Not going to happen, he thought - if John were going to ignore him, then he was going to ignore John too until he apologized.

***

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: can we do a movie sleepover**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: schuylers host at our house**

**pegsters: we already got food and everything**

**idrawturtles: you got food before you invited us???**

**BAGUETTE: when**

**aneglicatheanegl: probably on Friday starting @ 6**

**aneglicatheanegl: does that work for you guys**

**horseswithcorsets: i can do that**

**BAGUETTE: me as well**

**hamtheman: so can i**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: <3**

**hamtheman: <3**

**horseswithcorsets: ugh they are too sappy**

**marialikemariah: sorry :( probably gonna spend friday night w james**

**marialikemariah: he might be mad if i dont**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: aww ok**

**idrawturtles: i can make it, might be a bit late**

**pegsters: great**

**aneglicatheanegl: see yall**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: minus Maria**

**pegsters: tomorrow!**

**horseswithcorsets: …**

**BAGUETTE: well that was strange**

***

Maria turned their phone off and ran their fingers through their hair, heaving a long sigh. And now James was forcing them to miss out on a movie sleepover with the Schuylers just so they could ‘spend more time together’? Yeah, sure. More like, James get Maria to spend all their time doing his homework while he curses at them. Fun times.

At least they still had a sense of humor.

And James would relentlessly misgender them too. He’d never been too accepting of the LGBTQ+ community in the first place, and upon learning that his ‘girl’friend was in fact a demigirl who’d wanted to use they/them pronouns at that time (they really regretted making the decision to tell him, but it had been a long day and they were tired of being misgendered) he’d given them a long-winded, nonsensical speech on why such people were ‘incorrect’ and how based on that, he would continue using she/her pronouns for them. He’d also downright rejected their coming out as bi to him, screaming that if he had anything to say about it as their boyfriend then they wouldn’t go about lusting after girls anytime soon.

There were a few things that kept them with James. Mostly they feared the repercussions of trying to break up with him. But there were also occasionally the pockets of time when he was really sweet, like that one time when they’d been out sick and he came to their house with a bouquet of flowers and a get-well card. Admittedly they’d had to throw out the flowers because they were allergic and kept sneezing, but it was the gesture that they’d appreciated. It really wasn’t a healthy relationship, but there was nothing they could do about that at the moment, so… they’d learned to live with it. With him.

They tugged their hair in a fruitless attempt to distract themself. Time to get on YouTube.

***

John was texting Martha again. They were already pretty good friends. At their first date, she’d outright told him that she was lesbian. He’d burst into laughter, gasping out, “Oh, I suppose no one told you I’m gay?” She’d stared at him with a growing smile.

“So, we’re on a date together, and neither of us is interested in the other gender.” He nodded, still shaking with laughter. “Man, our parents are _really_ oblivious.”

He’d looked at her blankly. Asked, “didn’t your parents set you up with me to try and ‘fix’ you? My dad did.”

“No… at least, not exactly. They wanted me to, ah, try out being straight on a date. Hey, that rhymed!” She beamed at herself. He shook his head helplessly.

“One, you’re hopeless. And two, at least your parents don’t call it your ‘little problem’…” He smiled weakly at his hands.

She looked at him calculatingly. “John?” He met her eyes. “What if we… fake-dated? It would make both our parents happy and we’d have an excuse hang out more. ‘Cause I think you’re pretty cool.”

Something inside him had perked up a little. “That could work,” he said slowly. He might as well, since Alex was taken and he wasn’t going to get a chance there. (And this way he could do to Alex what Alex had done to him. Was he terrible for thinking that? He probably was.) And his dad might finally let him visit home. Even though it sucked, he missed his siblings. Martha (his sister, not his fake girlfriend) was probably able to take care of things, but she really was too young and he didn’t want her to grow up too soon. Give her back her childhood, if he could. His dad had refused any news from home, saying that he wasn’t good enough for his siblings.

For the rest of the ‘date’, they’d talked and bonded - it turned out that Martha had lived in the same neighborhood, and it was just a fluke that they hadn’t met before. She was witty with her words, and soon they felt comfortable enough with each other to gently tease each other. John liked Martha; she was able to hold her own in a conversation and was easy to talk to.

Before they left, he and Martha planned another date - well, they called it hanging out, since they weren’t dating, but they both knew that to the rest of the world it would be a date.

 _And to Alex_ , he thought now.

***

Alex pulled himself into the backseat of the Washingtons’ car (Laf lived with them as a transfer student, which was part of the reason why they were in orchestra) with Lafayette, lugging his giant bag of blankets, a pillow, a raggedy old stuffed cat he named Hamilton after himself that he’d salvaged from his old home, pajamas, toothbrush, and other necessities for a movie sleepover. He was pretty excited for this; from what he’d heard from Eliza, it sounded pretty fun. They were marathoning Studio Ghibli favorites - _My Neighbor Totoro_ , _Spirited Away_ , and _Castle in the Sky_ . Eliza had promised that they’d watch _Ponyo_ a different time. Laf was cheerfully chattering away at Washington. He smiled.

They pulled up to the Schuylers’ house - more like a mansion, he thought - within ten minutes and Laf popped open their door and bounded out of the car, dragging their stuff with them. “Thank you! See you tomorrow!” they called, waving a pillow at the car without looking back. Alex got out of the car more tentatively, dragging his bags behind him and turning to thank Washington for the ride.

He followed Laf into the house, since they clearly knew what they were doing. “Alex, _mon ami_ , hurry up or we will be late!” He hustled after Laf.

The house was like a maze, rooms twisting through and stairs winding from dark corners into bright windowed rooms. They stopped in front of a simple brown door left ajar, which Laf edged open with their foot and proceeded to shove their face in and shout hello. Answering cheers came from the inside, so Laf pushed the door open the rest of the way and went in. Alex followed.

They were the last of the squad to arrive. The Schuyler siblings were cuddled together on one couch, squishing Peggy between Angelica and Eliza. They’d left room beside Eliza for Alex to sit, which he did promptly. Mulligan was sitting on the floor at Peggy’s feet, leaning against their shins, and John was in a separate loveseat by himself. Laf plopped themself down next to John cheerfully, and he shifted over to make room for them.

“Does anyone want snacks first before we start?” Angie asked. John raised his head. “Sneks.”

“Sneks,” Peggy agreed, and Angelica groaned before pointing at the back table. “Anyway, snacks are over there, feel free to get some whenever. Let’s start the movie already.” She reached over and hit the button on the remote. _My Neighbor Totoro_ opened on the screen, the small white mice creatures opening their mouths on the title screen. The Schuylers all started widening their mouths in unison with the little mice. Alex laughed.

The movie was great. He held Eliza’s hand throughout the whole of Mei’s getting lost, despite already knowing what would happen. It still tensed him up, thinking of the four-year-old completely lost by herself without anyone around for help. It was too much a metaphor for his own story.

They took a break before starting _Castle in the Sky_ to eat dinner, an assortment of different kinds of pizzas which led to a furious debate as to whether pineapple on pizza was worthy of consumption. John was on the opposing side, while Alex fiercely maintained that if done well, pineapple pizza was a gift from the gods. It was the only bit of normal conversation they’d had for a while, their beliefs overcoming the desire to ignore each other. Alex could almost feel the tension in the room dissipating.

But then they started the next movie, and John went back to being distant and vaguely hostile once he took Eliza’s hand. _Castle in the Sky_ was a much more action-type movie than _Totoro_ was, and everyone in the room held their breath during the fiery death scenes. Alex’s hand had Eliza’s finger marks imprinted in red on it once the movie was over. Not that he minded; he was pretty sure he’d left the same marks on her hand as well. He wiped the mingled sweat onto his pants surreptitiously.

By then it was around 10:30, so they got out blankets and set up camp on the living room floor, which had an unbelievably thick carpet that you sank into. Somehow, Alex ended up curled on the floor between Eliza and John once _Spirited Away_ started. Not that he minded. He held hands with Eliza and let John absentmindedly trace patterns on his back, relaxing under the combined touches.

He fell asleep to the sight of Chihiro tearfully holding Haku’s body, her asking him to _please wake up_.

***

John was in heaven.

Here he was, on the floor at 11 pm, lying full-length against Alex’s small body and basically cuddling him. Ignore the fact that on the other side, Eliza is there, holding hands with Alex as her eyes are glued to the screen. Ignore the fact that he’s pretending to be straight, if only so he could see his family again. Ignore all that and he had Alex, curled into his stomach and body almost completely relaxed under his tracing finger. He was doodling turtles on Alex’s back. It was a good movie, but he’d seen it several times already and knew the storyline, so he wasn’t trying to focus on it.

He was focusing on the way Alex was almost purring as he fell asleep softly, arching his back up at John as he did so. Eyelashes casting shadows over his cheeks as he breathed slowly. Alex looked several years younger and more innocent in his sleep. He was adorable.

He blamed and thanked Laf for this whole situation. When they were setting up the floor for sleeping, Laf had taken up all the space on the floor where the two of them had been sitting, taking up John’s space with one heap of a tired Mulligan. He couldn’t argue with that, not once the two had gotten comfortable and were practically on top of each other, cuddling. Laf had yawned and gestured towards the Schuylers and Alex, indicating for him to move over and give them more space. “Go get your boy, John,” they’d said sleepily So he’d laid down beside Alex, because cuddling with any of the Schuylers might have drastic consequences in the morning when they were awake.

Oh, who was he kidding? He was cuddling with Alex because he wanted to.

He stayed awake the longest of the group, long after everyone else had fallen asleep and curled up with the people nearest them. Alex was so cute. His whole demeanor changed when he was asleep, like the lion inside him had tamed into a pussycat.

He slept as he was matching his breaths with Alex’s slow, gentle ones.

***

Eliza woke up first, always having been an early riser, and yawned. She looked around. They’d forgotten to close the curtains before, so she untangled herself from Alex and Peggy and stood to pull them shut quietly before the light woke anyone else up. She checked the time: It was 8:30, which honestly wasn’t a surprise considering how late they’d stayed up watching movies. Besides, it was the weekend, and teenagers (or tweens, in Peggy’s case - they were twelve) needed their sleep.

She rubbed her eyes, still a little sad from the night before. She used to watch Studio Ghibli movies with her parents, before they’d died in a car crash when she was eight. She’d gone to the orphanage then, struggling to deal with the knowledge that she would never see her parents again, ever, and that’s when Angie had discovered her. Sitting in a corner and sobbing. Angie had taken her under her wing, comforted her, and introduced her to Peggy. The two of them had been at the orphanage for a much longer time, Angie having been orphaned when she was two and Peggy being left there at birth. The three had dubbed themselves sisters, went everywhere together, and two years later when Philip Schuyler had come to the door of the orphanage, they’d told him he’d have to adopt all three or none at all. He’d adopted them, of course, and since then they’d been all together, supporting Peggy when they came out as nonbinary at age ten, hugging Eliza through the nights when she woke up screaming or crying from a nightmare about her parents. They were the Schuyler siblings.

She shook her head, pulled it out of the past, turned back to the pile of sleeping bodies and noticed three things.

One, Laf and Mulligan were totally cuddling. There was no other word for the way Laf had draped themself over Mulligan’s broad chest, and no other description for the way Mulligan had reached his arms up around Laf. They were hugging in their sleep. She rolled her eyes. Of course neither of them would admit they liked the other, but the mutual crush was obvious on both sides to the outside world.

Two, Angelica finally looked calm in sleep. Eliza cursed herself for allowing this to happen, letting Angie be the mom for their whole group time and time again. She could only relax when she was asleep. Eliza hoped to find a girl for Angie someday, someone who could share in the burden that she was carrying by herself as opposed to adding to it. Angelica would never admit that she was tired, would keep working non-stop until she dropped, but Eliza knew that despite their friendships, these people all had a lot of problems and that they were unnecessarily weighting Angie down. She would never let anyone else help, much less Eliza. she was Eliza’s fierce older sister who she loved with all her heart; consequently, she protected her, which led to Eliza not being able to help their friends as much as she could’ve. She was in eighth grade with Angie, for goodness’ sake, she could handle it. Angie thought that their one-year difference was much larger than it should’ve been. She sighed.

And three… why were Alex and John cuddling?

As in, full-on cuddling.

John’s head was buried in Alex’s neck, Alex was curled up into John’s body, and John had slung one arm over Alex, almost possessively, but they both looked too innocent in sleep for that.

Huh.

She wasn’t mad, no - who was she to deny her boyfriend (boyfriend!) more cuddles? It was Angie she was worried about, Angie who would wreak havoc on both of them if she perceived a threat to her sister’s happiness.

She’d let them cuddle for now. They looked really sweet together. Actually… She took her phone out and snapped a picture. In case she ever needed it.

***

Alex woke up and almost screamed.

When had this tangled cuddling happened?

His face went bright red as he tried not to focus on every place where his body was touching John’s. Which was hard, because John was curled protectively around him, one arm draped over his body as he snored quietly.

He took a closer look at John. He looked like an angel in his sleep… freckles covering his face and shifting with every breath, eyelashes long enough to brush his face, hair framing everything in a messy tangle of curls. He was gorgeous.

He looked around; no one else was in the room, which he took to mean that they were all at breakfast. Alex slid a hand out of the pile of blankets and John that he was tangled in and reached for his phone. He snagged it after a series of small grunts and twisted around to take a picture of John asleep -

Except he was waking up, and sleepy, half-awake John was almost cuter than John when he was actually sleeping. John mumbled to himself before addressing Alex and his phone. “Alex, wha…?”

“Good morning John,” Alex said brightly, deciding that it was too late to move his phone anyway.

“Were you -” he yawned “- taking a picture of me?” Alex shrugged noncommittally. He snapped a picture.

John hummed quietly. He took a long time to wake up, a complicated ritual of stretching, yawning, and grumbling about waking up. Alex was verging on swooning by the time John smacked his lips one more time (don’t look at his lips right now, Alex, now is not the time) and snapped his eyes open, taking in the room. “Where is everyone?” he asked abruptly.

“Breakfast, I think,” Alex answered. John nodded once and stood, shaking out his clothes before heading for the door. Alex grabbed his sleeve. “Wait!” Some half-formed plan to apologize flew through his mind, if only so they could cuddle more often.

John sighed but turned around. “What do you want now, Alex?”

“I, ah…” Now that John had given him the chance, his words deserted him. _Get it together, Alex._ He blinked once, hard, and looked back up at John. “I was wondering if we could go back to being friends?” His words came back in a rush and flooded out of him, not presenting John with a place to reply. “Because I miss you, and you’re a really good friend of mine and I want to have someone to make fun of Jefferson with again even if you got a girlfriend and I’m still kind of upset about that because -” Abruptly, he cut himself off. Someday his blurting would really bite him on the butt, but not today.

John gave him an odd, calculating look. “You thought I was mad at you?”

Alex stared at him. “Was I supposed to think anything else after you completely cut me off?”

And then John laughed, that beautiful, free laugh that he’d missed for the last month. “I guess not. I… I’m sorry, Alex.”

Alex took the two steps he needed to reach John and throw his arms around him. “Thank you!” He felt John lift his arms slowly and wrap them around Alex, hugging him tight.

They stayed that way until a French-accented voice said sarcastically from the door, “Are you two going to eat breakfast or are you just going to hug each other for the rest of eternity? Your girlfriends might not be happy,” added Laf viciously. They both looked up to see them glaring and hastily stepped away from each other, Alex missing John’s warmth immediately. He knew he was blushing, and the pink rising high in John’s cheeks gave away the fact that he was too.

Laf rolled their eyes. “Come, my two oblivious friends, let’s go eat.” They shared glances before heading out the door, leaving all the blankets piled on the floor for someone else to deal with.


	7. FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eliza does Alex's hair and is scary, John teases Alex, and then Charles Lee shows up and everything escalates from there. (aka, FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this fic is slowly turning into an Alex/Eliza and Alex/John at the same time and I'm not quite sure what to do with that  
> they are out of my control help  
> well I'll keep writing and we'll just have to find out I guess  
> This has not been beta read my brain is fried right now and I don't have to willpower to reread it myself, so here's to hoping all goes well.  
> Thanks for reading!  
> also, slight tw for John having a meltdown and Charles Lee being stupid like he usually is. stay safe

Alex looked around at the table at his friends; it had been a week since he and Laurens made up, and their casual interactions were back to being full of easygoing laughter. He liked it this way, cheerful and happy. He and Eliza were doing pretty well; if she’d seen John and him cuddling then she hadn’t mentioned it, and she was just as perfect as usual. Eliza was too nice. He supposed that was why Angelica took such care of her, because Angie could see the worst parts of people when Eliza saw only their best parts. He really didn’t deserve her, but he was in too deep to escape now. He knew Eliza relied on him, legitimately cared for him, and for her sake he’d stick around. And for his own health. It was safer this way.

Carried on eating his meager school lunch without thinking about it or tasting it.

Eliza looked up from her tomato-sauce-and-pasta lunch, a smear of sauce on her nose. She shoved the last bite into her mouth, wiped her face. “Can I play with your hair?” she asked abruptly, albeit cheerfully. Nearly everything she said was cheerful.

He looked at her in silence, still chewing, cocking his head towards her. She wiped off her hands before turning him gently in his seat so he faced John, running her fingers through his hair. He made a grotesque face at John, who promptly reciprocated. They giggled. Eliza retaliated by tugging his hair. “Don’t wiggle, Alex, you’ll mess me up.” He nodded solemnly, fighting a smile, and received another yank. He winced. John smirked at him. He stuck the rest of his indeterminate lunch in his mouth, smearing it on his face. Tried to turn back around to get a napkin, but Eliza pulled at his hair, hard. Tears rose up in the corners of his eyes. “Alex.”

“Ouch, Eliza,” he complained, grimacing.

“I’m sorry, did that hurt? Maybe you could stop moving then,” she said brightly, adopting a lilting, teasing tone. John stretched his arm out and snagged Alex’s napkin, waving it in front of his face, just out of reach. “John! Give that!” He grabbed at it, Eliza jerking at his hair. “Okay, okay, sorry, I’ll stop moving,” he apologized.

“Sit on your hands,” Eliza ordered. He tried to turn and look at her. “Go on,” she said, nodding. He groaned and did so. John smiled at him innocently, still shaking the napkin, and reached forwards to wipe his face. He twisted away and received another tug. “You really cannot keep still, can you? You’re gonna mess up my French braid, Alex,” Eliza scolded, as John put his other hand on Alex’s face to hold him still. Alex stopped short, trying not to hyperventilate at the palm that was suddenly cradling his cheek and miserably failing. John wiped the rest of his face gently as Eliza worked behind him, humming gaily to herself. He listened more carefully.

“Eliza, is that… Simple Symphony?”

“Uh-huh,” she said, mouth full of bobby pins as she artfully inserted them into his hair. “John, keep doing whatever you’re doing, because he’s not moving any more,” she instructed. John’s eyes widened just the slightest bit, but he nodded and kept his hands on Alex’s face. Alex was now inwardly screaming. _Don’t blush don’t blush don’t blush_ -

Eliza leaned around him to look at his head from the front, studying her masterpiece. “Alex, you’re blushing,” she remarked, raising one eyebrow.

“Mmph phh mph,” he mumbled into John’s hand. John released him, also looking like he was trying not to blush. “No I’m not,” he said again.

“Yes, you definitely are,” she answered, “it’s cute.”

“I’m not _cute_ !” he said indignantly, stopped by John’s muttered _yes you are_ under his breath. John definitely was blushing now, looking in the corner and avoiding both their gazes.

Wait, did John actually just say that?

Eliza scowled at John, but it was clear she was teasing him. “Stay in your lane, John.” Who then flushed bright red and left promptly, excusing himself with a trip to the bathroom. They stared after him.

“What’s up with him?” Alex asked.

Eliza raised an eyebrow at him. “Sure you don’t know?” He didn’t answer, choosing not to lose himself down that particular well-traveled rabbit hole again.

He sighed. Picked up the lunchbox John had left behind, dangled it from a finger. “What’re we gonna do with this?”

Eliza shrugged. “Don’t we have art with him next period? We can give it back to him,” she suggested. Alex nodded and hooked the lunch bag over his arm so he wouldn’t forget it. The remaining few minutes of lunch passed quickly, and soon the teachers were letting kids out of the cafeteria. The squad flooded out with the rest of the students, chattering to themselves when Charles Lee walked past them, stopped, and turned, a menacing glint in his eyes. “Well well, it’s the queer group again. Fancy seeing you here, one would think you’ve gotten the message already.”

Laf was the first one to speak, their French accent growing thicker. “And pray tell, what message would that be?”

“That you aren’t welcome here… _Gilbert_ ,” he hissed, eyes gleaming. Laf abruptly turned away and sped up, trying to walk right past Lee, but Lee was having none of that. He grabbed them by the shoulder. “What, little _man_ , is there something you want?”

They trembled slightly, but their voice was clear. “I am not male. I’ve told you this before.”

Mulligan growled and stepped forward, but Angelica held him back. “Not now, we don’t need to get in a fight now,” she said, and Mulligan’s stance softened the smallest bit and he stopped.

And at this point, John came casually back though the doors, humming. His face was back to normal, if a little wet - it looked like he’d splashed water on himself. His face lit up when he saw Alex holding his lunchbox and just as promptly fell again when he took in the whole scene. “Um, guys?”

The group had all turned to look at him. Charles Lee made a noise deep in his throat and released Laf. “I don’t know what Washington’s doing, putting all the… _defective_ people in the front. Thank God I’m there to keep track of things,” he taunted, sashaying out the doors. Alex’s mouth fell open.

“How does he have the - the audacity to say that?! Washington is the best! _You piece of -_ ” he screamed after Lee, blocked by Eliza swinging her hand up over his mouth.

“We’re still in school, Alexander,” she reminded, though her voice was full of obviously suppressed rage.

John’s face twisted and he abruptly turned and chased after Lee. Alex broke free of the group and went after him, dropping the lunchbox. _I’ll go back for it later._

Outside the caf, John and Lee were still shouting at each other. “What the _hell_ makes you think you can say things like that and get away with it? This is the modern world, Lee, and just because you can’t get used to it doesn’t mean you get verbal about it, you - you -” Alex hooked his arm through John’s and joined in, voices overlapping and making it impossible to listen to any words.

Charles Lee just stood there, ugly smirk on his face, as he watched them. Moments later, he cut in smoothly, “See what people like you deal with? Anger management issues, overinflated heads… I’m so sorry for your poor mothers, what they have to deal with…”

Alex and John increased the volume of their shouting, if that were possible. _“MY MOTHER IS DEAD, YOU EGOTISTICAL, UNFEELING CHARCOAL LUMP! ATTACKING US MIGHT BE OKAY BUT ATTACKING MY DEAD MOTHER IS NOT. LEARN WHAT A LINE IS AND HOW MANY TIMES YOU HAVE CROSSED IT! I ONLY WISH THAT YOUR MOTHER HAD BEEN ABLE TO RAISE YOU BETTER, BECAUSE SHE SURE-ASS DID A TERRIBLE JOB ON YOU!”_ Alex wasn’t even sure who was saying what anymore, but he hadn’t realized that John’s mother was dead as well. He wondered how he was living. John only really talked about his father, who was a homophobic, racist, deadbeat dad who’d sent him up to Manhattan because he was gay. Couldn’t disown him, because of his political career, but didn’t want to live with him. He’d never mentioned his mom.

Alex paused for breath, and in that pause John inserted more calmly, “If you want to talk about this more, why don’t you meet me outside in the woods after school? Hamilton’s my second -” he blinked, pretty sure John had never called him Hamilton before - “I’ll see you there. Be punctual.” Lee sneered at him. “Done and done. See you.” He left.

Alex looked around; they were in a deserted area, and miraculously no teachers had come about the screaming teenagers there. He swung to John. “You just challenged him to a fight? John, don’t, it’s -” _Not a good idea_ , he wanted to say, but John was absolutely not going to listen to him if he said that.

John shushed him, shoulders still heaving, and said stonily, “It’s my fight, Alex, and I need to shut him down for once and for all.” He switched to a quieter tone, “You’ll come, right? I need you there, you’re my closest friend.” Alex sighed inwardly at the word _friend_ but nodded, “Of course I’ll be there. Can’t miss you taking down Lee, can I?”

John smiled. “Come on, the art teachers love us but they might be a little mad at how late we are…”

When they found Eliza in art and filled her in on what went down, her eyes filled with a mix of apprehension and fear. “Don’t get yourself killed, John, stay safe,” she whispered. Then a flash of anger in the words “but give that idiot what he deserves.”

Alex smiled. Eliza could be relied upon to give exactly the right reactions.

***

He slouched in his seat, watching the clock, and as soon as the bell rang Alex scampered out of the room to his locker, where he packed up hastily. He located John, who was bouncing on the balls of his feet. They left the school, climbing through the woods until they found a good spot, cleared of too many trees and rocks alike.

Charles Lee pulled himself up the slope, panting slightly, with a gigantic friend in tow. “This is Evan Edwards,” he introduced, gesturing at the other boy, “he’s my second.”

They nodded slightly. Alex and Lee’s second backed away on opposite sides of the little clearing, and Alex started counting. “One, two three…” Edwards joined in, “…four, five, six,” John and Lee paced backwards away from each other, “seven, eight, nine,” John’s face was tense, and he was biting his lip in concentration, while Lee’s face on the other hand was leisurely, almost relaxed; “ten!”

John leapt at Lee, giving him a solid punch in the chest. Lee choked a little and stumbled backwards, and John followed up with another punch to his shoulder. Lee regained his breath and shoved John backwards; he fell on the pine needle-covered ground and rolled over, bouncing back to his feet with a only slight hitch in his breathing. He slammed Lee in the stomach, who groaned and dropped back, stepping backwards warily as he eyed John.

John’s eyes had gone dark and his hair was escaping its ponytail, curls wildly springing about his face. His face was a faint shade of pink from the fighting and dirt smeared along one side of it; and Alex thought he was absolutely beautiful. Then he shook his head, because _really, Alex, now is not the time to be looking at your super hot best friend who probably doesn’t like you back._

He tuned back into the fight. John had pinned Lee down on the ground and was punching him repeatedly in the ribs, and somehow Lee found the breath to continuously hiss a venomous stream of words. _“You’re never gonna find anyone, you’re going to die alone, and you’ll be rejected by the better parts of society for the rest of your life. Because someone made you wrong. Besides, he doesn’t even like you back, which is just because you’re too ugly and stupid and_ wrong _-”_ Lee stopped, gasping, as Alex moved forwards and pulled John off of him, which was met with little resistance. John, who had tears falling slowly down his face, who looked like a feral monster and nothing like the cheerful boy with a gorgeous, carefree laugh.

“John. John, look at me,” he said, panicking a little because John was still crying silently. He looked over his shoulder; Edwards had hauled Lee up and was supporting his weight as they left through the woods. Good. He turned back to John and hugged him tight. “John, it’s okay, they’ve gone,” he said. John turned, still shaking, and slowly walked the opposite way that Lee had left, leaving Alex staring after him. He twisted to Alex, held out his hand. Alex hustled forwards and grabbed it, trying not to dwell on the warmth of his hand even now.

A tear landed on his hand, wet and splattering. He squeezed John’s hand. “How ‘bout we go to your house now?” John nodded. “Um, where is it actually?” John tugged him through the woods until they popped out on the other side, then led him down several streets until they were in front of an apartment building, at which point John pulled a plastic card out of his wallet and let them in. Without letting go of John, he slid his phone out and texted his uncle for permission to stay out late for dinner.

They entered John’s small flat and sat together on the couch, cuddling. His phone dinged; he pulled it out and saw that his uncle had said yes and be home by eight.

“John, is it okay if I tell everyone what happened?” John nodded. He was falling asleep, head dipping closer to the sofa’s pillows, still gripping Alex’s hand like a lifeline.

He texted the group chat.

**hamtheman: hey guys John got in a fight and beat the other guy soundly**

**hamtheman: but Lee said some nasty things and he had a breakdown so we’re chilling in his apartment**

**aneglicatheanegl: omg john r u ok**

**aneglicatheanegl: heres a reminder that we all love you for who you are and dont let anyone tell you otherwise ok??**

**BAGUETTE: yes what she said**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: we love you john!!!**

**horseswithcorsets: yes we do**

**marialikemariah: go john! youre the best!**

**pegsters: yas get it john**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: peg now is not the time**

**pegsters: *pouts* but we love you john**

He tapped John on the shoulder. He lifted his head up blearily and squinted at the screen, reading it. He smiled a tiny bit and nestled into Alex, making tiny adorable noises of contentment. “Tell them thanks and I love them too,” he mumbled at Alex’s chest, who laughed a little and texted as best as he could with his right hand, since John was lying on his other arm.

**hamtheman: yhanks guys he really appreciates it**

**aneglicatheanegl: is he gonna be ok?**

**hamtheman: ye hes falling asleep on me**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: k tell him again we love him**

Around 7:15, he shook John awake. “John, honey, you need to wake up, you won’t be able to sleep tonight. And you need to do all your homework and eat,” he said gently. John grumbled and rolled over, burying his head in the pillows. Alex smiled. Seriously, half-asleep John was the cutest. “Come on, John, I’ll make you canned soup,” which was the extent of his cooking abilities. John smiled a tiny smile and sat up. Alex stifled a laugh; John’s hair was sticking up all the way on one side of his head and he was adorably lopsided. He reached out and smoothed it down.

“What did you say?” John asked, voice sticky with sleep.

“Come on, John, I’ll make you canned soup?” Alex answered confusedly. He was tired too.

“No, before that.”

Alex thought back. “You need to do your homework and eat?”

“Before that.”

“John, honey -” he stopped abruptly and blushed. John smirked at him, one side twisting up higher than the other, and he mentally slapped himself. How had he missed that before?

“…let’s just eat, shall we?” he said. John nodded sleepily. “Are you feeling better?” John nodded again. This was a super scintillating conversation. “Okay, I’m going to go get the soup, and do you feel up to texting the group? I think they’d be happy to hear from you.” John nodded a third time. Alex sighed, gave up, and went into the kitchen to find soup.

***

“Thanks for that though, Alex, I really appreciated it,” John said after dinner as he was seeing him out. Alex smiled back.

“The whole thing was kinda my fault in the first place, I mean…” he answered.

He walked home, shivering. Nighttime was a lot colder than daytime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments and kudos give me life. Actually. Like I squeal over each and every one and they make me haPPY  
> also, I haven't been responding to comments much and I'm sorry about that but I love all of them and thanks so much for taking the time to comment if you did! I love you guys <3


	8. Cats, and Other Shenanigans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone goes to the WAshingtons' house to pet a cat. Whee!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo sorry about the very late update I've been pretty busy lately and haven't had much time... but I'm sure you've heard this mini apology before so suffice it to say I'm gonna keep being pretty busy so updates will be less frequent probably for at least the next couple months. Sorry :(

Alex was pulling on his pants, stumbling around as he struggled to stick a leg into one pants leg, when his phone buzzed on his bed. He immediately stopped trying to clothe himself and went to look. It was the group chat.

**BAGUETTE:  good morning peoples!**

**BAGUETTE: would you like to,,,**

**BAGUETTE: how you say**

**idrawturtles: Laf no**

**BAGUETTE: ;) Laf yes**

**BAGUETTE: hang out after school today**

**horseswithcorsets: im game!**

**aneglicatheanegl: of course you are**

**BAGUETTE: what does that mean**

**horseswithcorsets: ^^^**

**pegsters: ;;;;;;;;)))))))**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: anyway sorry laf we can’t make it**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: schuylers and maria are having a night out**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: and maria doesn’t have much time usually**

**idrawturtles: james?**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: yea**

**hamtheman: uhgh i wanna fight him**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: you fight everyone dear**

**marialikemariah: :) thanks guys.**

**marialikemariah: the sentiment is appreciated but pls dont fight him**

**lizzieintheskywithdiamonds: <3**

**marialikemariah: <3**

**idrawturtles: SEE WHAT I MEAN WITH THE SHIP**

**aneglicatheanegl: joHN LAURENS**

**idrawturtles: actually bye**

**aneglicatheanegl: tbh we gotta go too byee**

**horseswithcorsets: is there anything in particular you want to do laf?**

**BAGUETTE: i kinda just imagined cuddling**

**idrawturtles: with herc??**

**hamtheman: ^**

**horseswithcorsets: (-_-)**

**BAGUETTE: (-_-)**

**horseswithcorsets: copycat**

**BAGUETTE: aww but herc**

**horseswithcorsets: i mean it affectionately <3**

**BAGUETTE: <3**

**idrawturtles: SCREENSHOTTING**

**idrawturtles: or i would, if my phone knew how to**

**hamtheman: its ok ill screenshot for you**

**idrawturtles: yeeee**

**BAGUETTE: i ship**

**hamtheman: …**

**hamtheman: @john i see where angie comes from**

**BAGUETTE: anyway.**

**BAGUETTE: cuddling with philip**

**hamtheman: philip?**

**horseswithcorsets: their cAT its the most beautifullest thing ive ever seen**

**hamtheman: CATS!!! ok then i lov cats**

His uncle shouted up the stairs. “ALEX, YOU’RE GONNA BE LATE!”

**hamtheman: okie i gtg now bye**

“ALMOST READY!!”

***

“How’d you do on the science test?” He and Laurens were walking down the hallway to art together.

“I dunno… I mean it could’ve been worse, but still. I don’t think I put in all the evidence I needed for the seafloor spreading part. The one time we have a unit on the ocean and there’s no mention of sea life. Ugh. How ‘bout you?”

“I think I did alright. I looked up some extra stuff on seafloor spreading and found more explanations for it than just the three Franklin gave us. I had to get like three extra sheets of paper… I ran out of time for more. I think that whole ‘you only need to know enough for eighth grade’ thing is crap. Just educate us thoroughly or not at all!” he shouted, shaking a fist and dropping his binders. He crouched to pick them up.

“Careful there, Hamilton,” someone taunted from above, “one might think you actually cared.” He’d know that slick, malevolent voice anywhere.

“Shove off, Jerkferson,” he said, not looking up. John’s presence helped calm him down marginally. Although Thomas was beyond calming, if he were being honest.  _ The idiot, maybe he doesn’t care about a solid education but that’s what brought me here and that’s what’s gonna keep me here. He doesn’t know the least of it. _

“Jerkferson, wow. Real imaginative, Hamilton, how long did that take you to come up with? An hour? Two?” He shot to his feet and started towards Jefferson, but then someone caught the back of his shirt and tugged him back. He twisted around.

“John, let me go.”

“No,” John said, stubbornly holding on. He started thrashing around as Madison - who’d been hanging by Thomas’ side, silently - took Thomas by the hand and tugged him down the corridor. John slipped an arm around his stomach and held him tighter.

“Stop  _ moving _ , Alex, goddammit, they’re gone. Gone! You can calm down now!” He quieted, mostly just because he was  _ not _ focusing on the sensation of John’s forearm against his stomach. He tried sucking in his belly.

“He called me stupid,” he answered stubbornly, because even if he was preoccupied by John he could still talk about how ignorant and foul Jefferson was, and how close-minded, and…

John sighed. “Let’s just get to art.”

He picked up Alex’s books for him and held them out to him. He stood up, dusted off his dignity, and took them from John, heading down the hallway the opposite way that Thomas and James had gone. One moment from the encounter struck him…

“Hey John?”

“Mm.”

“Do you know if Thomas and James are dating?”

***

The four of them met up at Laf’s locker afterschool, who was bouncing excitedly on the balls of their feet, ponytail bobbing along. “I can’t believe it’s already December and you people haven’t come over yet! Martha is very nice, she said she’d brownies when I asked if you guys could come over.” Alex smiled. Brownies!

John voiced this thought: “Brownies!”

“I literally just thought that!” he exclaimed, and high-fived him. Mulligan rolled his eyes. “Okay, loverboys, let’s go,” he said, slinging an arm over Laf’s shoulders and walking down the hallway with them. Alex and John caught up.

_ “Rude,” _ John said indignantly.

“Besides, we aren’t… what did you call us? ‘Lover boys’? We’re just friends,” Alex added, wincing internally.

“Yeah, just like how you and Laf are ‘just friends’,” John finished. Mulligan and Laf both turned bright red and separated. Alex and John both cooed at them. Mulligan flipped them both off behind his back and followed Laf, who was still cheerfully weaving through the crowd ahead.

They looked at each other with the same mischievous smirk, laughed together and chased after Mulligan, chanting.

“LAF AND MULLIGAN SITTING IN A TREE…” John sang, then swept his arm towards Alex.

“K-I-S-S-I-N-G!” Alex bellowed.

“FIRST COMES LOVE, THEN COMES MARRIAGE,” John shouted, then joined in with Alex for the final “THEN COMES A BABY IN A BABY CARRIAGE!” They collapsed into laughter, tearing up from how hard they were laughing, wheezing.

“Alright, enough of that,” they heard Mulligan rumble from above them. “Go get your instruments, we’re waiting on you two.” John was the first on his feet, yanking Alex up by the wrists. Alex slipped his hand down and gripped John’s, mentally congratulating himself. John flinched for a second but then squeezed his hand back. He leaned his head on John’s shoulder.

They heard a click behind them that sounded suspiciously like a phone camera, but when they turned there was no one holding a phone up for a picture. Odd.

***

This was the first time he’d seen Lafayette’s house; the Washingtons had certainly given him rides before, but his uncle had never reciprocated and he’d never had any reason to go to Laf’s house before. It turned out that they lived in an almost Schuyler-esque mansion. “Jesus, Laf, how rich are you?”

Laf turned around, smiling. “Well, my family comes from French nobility, but since I’m here as an exchange student they gave the directors extra money so I could live with a nicer family. Though I think the Washingtons just took the money and donated it. My family enjoys spending.” They made a face. “Not that I don’t, but I don’t think richer people should be able to pay extra to get extra. It’s not fair.”

“No, it isn’t,” Alex agreed vehemently, mind flashing back to begging on the streets with his mother when he was younger. “Not at all.”

They must’ve sensed his emotional turmoil. “Come, we will go pet the kitty!”

“And eat brownies?” John asked hopefully.

“Absolutely.”

He followed Laf inside, after Mulligan and John. The latter waited back and held the door for him. Alex smiled at him. “Thanks John,” quietly, as he pulled the door closed behind him.

They found Laf and Mulligan already crowded around the cat, which was a beautiful… some kind of cat. Excessively fluffy and docile, with bright blue eyes.

“He’s gorgeous,” Alex said reverently, reaching out to stroke the cat. “What kind of cat is he?”

“Ragdoll,” Mulligan answered, petting said animal with a gentleness that looked strange compared to his stature. But that was Mulligan all over: teddy bear in with a burly outside. Burly. Burr-ly. He giggled.

“Hmm?” John hummed, burying his fingers in the fur.

“Mind games,” he said by way of explanation, doing likewise. His hand tangled with John’s in the fluff. “Mm, this cat is so nice. And completely okay with us all petting him at once. Can I kidnap him or something?” he mumbled, not even sure of what he was saying.

“More like cat-nap,” John said, then burst out laughing at his (frankly terrible) pun.

“Ayyy!” Alex exclaimed, making finger guns. He loved bad puns. John reciprocated the finger guns and pretended to shoot him; he keeled over, groaning as if inflicted with a mortal wound. Lafayette rolled their eyes at Mulligan.

“Those dorks are so in love they can’t see straight,” they said. Mulligan smirked.

“More like  _ can’t see gay _ ,” he said, then belly-laughed.

Laf shook their head and muttered “I should have seen that coming,” then grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the kitchen. “More quality cat time later, warm brownies now,” they said. Mulligan shook his head back at them and followed docilely, shifting to hold their hand more comfortably.

Alex and John turned from their mock-gunfight and saw Mulligan pulling the door shut behind him. It clicked. “Hey!” They stood up and ran over to the door handle; it was locked. “Great,” Alex said sarcastically, “no brownies.” He turned to see John, whose face was slowly flushing red as he stared at the door handle. Couldn’t tell if he was mad or embarrassed. He started fidgeting. “Um, are you okay?” John startled, taking on the look of deer-in-headlights, and nodded violently.

“Yes, I’m fine, definitely, I just… uh…” John sent him what was clearly a  _ help-me-out-here _ look and he complied, though he made a mental note to bother John about this later. Possibly when they weren’t stuck in a locked room together.

“Really want brownies?” he supplied. John nodded again. He was starting to look like a bobblehead doll, Alex mused to himself, and wondered what caused the transition from high-off-of-cat-fur to nervous-deer-in-headlights. Odd. John was usually a lot more put together than this. “Let’s do our homework while we wait for them to let us out, okay?” He got his backpack from the corner of the room where he’d left it and paused. Laf and Mulligan’s backpacks were in the room as well. A plan started forming in his head. “John.”

He looked over obediently, saw Alex gesturing gleefully towards the backpacks, and grinned.  _ “Yes.” _

***

_ “I wonder what they’re doing in there, they’ve been quiet for so long,” _ Alex heard Mulligan whisper from the door. He elbowed John and pointed towards the sound; they both stopped what they were doing and listened intently.

_ “ _ Oui _ , it’s a little strange. Especially for Alex. He’s always talking. Never can stop.” _ Alex bristled indignantly. “I do not!” he hissed, met with John’s finger on his lips as John tilted his head towards the door, eyebrows furrowed. Alex blushed and just got more embarrassed. John’s finger tickled.

_ “Do you think they got together yet?” _ Mulligan replied. John jerked away from Alex and hunched into a ball, and from the color of his ears Alex was pretty sure he was blushing. He looked away.

_ “Don’t they have girlfriends?” _

_ “Oh. Right.” _ He rolled his eyes.  _ Great job, Mulligan. _

_ “What about you?” _ Mulligan again.

_ “What?” _

_ “Do you have a girl?” _

A short pause.

_ “ _ Non _ , I did while I was in France but we decided a long-distance relationship was going to be too difficult.” _

_ “Really.” _ This said with a completely different tone from the teasing tone Mulligan’d used when he asked Laf. Alex perked up.

_ “ _ Oui _ , but I have a crush on someone here,” _ Laf answered.

_ “Who?” _

Another pause, this one filled with expectation.

_ “I can’t tell you.” _ Alex’s shoulders slumped.

_ “Why not?” _ Not indignant, just curiosity. Poking at Laf for more information.

_ “I can’t. I just can’t.”  _ Laf’s voice was starting to fill with anxiety. He could imagine them fidgeting with the corner of their shirt uncomfortably.

_ “Okay then.” _

_ “Who’s your crush?” _ Laf asked, changing the topic abruptly.

_ “Can’t tell you either.” _

_ “But Hercules… I’m your best friend, you can tell me anything.” _ He and John both tensed up at Laf calling Mulligan Hercules; in the past, it had been legendary whenever anyone called him Hercules and almost always resulted in some kind of revenge. It was impressive.

But no, Mulligan didn’t say anything about that. Instead he asked Laf,  _ “Really?” _

_ “Of course.” _

_ “Good. I’m still not telling you.” _ Laf wasn’t going to give up that easily though.

They eavesdropped on the conversation for the next half hour. All of it was just Mulligan waffling between whether to tell Laf or not. In the meanwhile, they concentrated on their revenge: taking each sheet out of Laf’s and Mulligan’s binders, and laying them out on the floor to spell their names. They didn’t change the order or anything, especially considering that Mulligan’s papers were already messy enough and would probably never be re-filed correctly, but they were enjoying their task greatly. They’d each taken one person: Alex had spelled out LAFA and John had spelled MULLI by the time Mulligan had finally spit it out.

_ It’s you. _

That’s what he’d said.

Then there was an awkwardly long pause while they supposed Laf was reacting, and then some more very awkward noises that sounded suspiciously like kissing. He flushed red and focused back on spelling.

God, he wished he could say something like that to John, just up and out with it. Spill his secret, regardless of any reactions he might get. But they were both in relationships, unfortunately with other people… he knew that John was gay and that he was in a fake relationship with Martha, but to the rest of the world John needed to stay in the closet, for the sake of remaining in touch with the family members he actually liked. Ugh. He did really like Eliza, and she him, but he’d been getting the vague feeling that Eliza liked someone else. Which was why she’d been so chill all of the multitude of times she’d found him and John cuddling.

Some day he’d find the courage to break up with her and face her siblings’ wrath.

Or not, he supposed, thinking about said siblings. They really were intimidating.

Eventually the noises stopped and the door (finally, finally) unlocked. He and John both looked up, eager to see their reactions.

Well, they were holding hands, at least. Before they both started swearing at the two of them. Continuously and so loudly they were both unintelligible. He and John started laughing, so hard they were both bent over at the waist, tears leaking out of their eyes.

“Dammit, John, we should’ve put a heart in the middle,” he said, cackling.

“Yes, we should’ve,” John agreed.

Eventually Laf and Mulligan both gave up and just stared at them, still rolling around on the floor and pushing papers everywhere.

“Let’s just go eat brownies now,” Laf said.

“I’m going to ignore the…” Mulligan gestured helplessly at the papers “…this thing. Be grateful.”

They adopted serious faces and nodded.

“But you’re gonna clean it up for us,” Mulligan added. They both sighed.

“I suppose we deserve it,” John muttered.

“After brownies?” Alex asked hopefully.

“…Fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love these dorks. Hope you enjoyed!


	9. Messages, Orchestra, and Relationships

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The schuyler sibs text each other, and then some tweets happen, and Alex fights everyone. they get a new song in orchestra and John gets a viola solo, and then eliza and ham talk to each other! :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: homophobic comments (the q slur) and John's dad, which doesn't include any explicit homophobic words but does include him being a general dick and stuff, so. be careful guys <3  
> also, i changed the texting format, so look out for that. i decided the little arrows thing was unclear.

_ eliza _ _ has joined the group  _ _ Schuyler Squad _

**angel: ‘liza have you seen it yet**

**eliza: no what**

**peggy: ouuch**

_ angel _ _ has sent the image:  _ **_suchacutecouple_ **

**eliza: what?**

**eliza: what is this??**

**peggy: james monroe took a picture of them in the hall holding hands**

**angel: honestly screw monroe**

**eliza: pls dont, ur in eighth grade**

**peggy: and posted it to insta, twitter, and facebook**

**angel: you missed snapchat**

**peggy: right**

**peggy: and he captioned it “look at them, @alexanderhamilton and @johnlaurens are such a cute couple”**

**eliza: well.**

**eliza: c h r i s t**

**eliza: i mean its kinda obvi that they like each other but i’d expect him to tell me if he and john were a thing**

**angel: are you upset?/**

**eliza: no not really?**

**eliza: i mean i like him but i think that was kind of a small crush at first**

**eliza: honestly i think we function better as friends**

**peggy: srsly**

**peggy: if it ewre me i’d be angry**

**peggy: like, a n g r y**

**peggy: like. go beat him up and john too angry**

**peggy: i lied ima go do that anyway**

**angel: im coming ill rip off his HEAD**

**angel: make him sorry he ever even LOOKED at john while he was dating my lil sis**

**peggy: yas angel lez go now**

**eliza: no no no guys dont**

**peggy: i mean we warned him we’d protect you with our lives**

**angel: and i must not tell lies**

**eliza: i cant believe**

**peggy: it’s not butter?**

**eliza: you just made a hp reference**

**eliza: TOXIC. disowning you btoh. bye**

**angel: nooo dont go**

**angel: we wont kill alexnjohn**

**angel: well merely glare at them until they wish theyd never been born**

**eliza: guys we don’t even know if it’s a thing literally the only word we have is from jmes monroe and, well**

**angel: yeah but youve seen the way they cuddle they night as well be a thing**

**peggy: ^^^!!**

**eliza: im packing my bags…**

**angel: literally you only own one suitcase**

**eliza: its a big suitcase!**

**angel: and its half mine so you can’t take it**

**peggy: excuse me ahem**

**angel: you have your own remember bc u bugged mom and dad so much about it**

**peggy: oh right nvm eliza can leave**

**angel: wtf peggy**

**angel: eliza noo dont leave**

**eliza: …**

**eliza: t o x i c**

_ eliza _ _ has left the chat  _ _ Schuyler Squad _

_ angel _ _ has added  _ _ eliza _ _ to the chat  _ _ Schuyler Squad _

**angel: eliiiiiiza**

**eliza: angelicaaaaa**

**peggy: and peggy!**

**angel: …**

**eliza: …**

**peggy: fine i was just being not left out**

**eliza: … anyway. back to the problem at hand**

**peggy: no one says that ever**

**eliza: dont bother alex n john ill talk to them**

**angel: but**

**eliza: Angelica Schuyler.**

**angel: …okay fine**

**peggy: ooo**

**eliza: you too?**

**peggy: nup nvm i didnt say anthing**

**eliza: ok.**

**eliza: i declare this matter closed**

**peggy: amen**

**angel: peggy!**

**peggy: what**

**eliza: oh christ**

***

> **Thomas Jefferson @thomasthomas 10:03 AM - 5 Dec**
> 
> of course @adotham and @johnlaur would cheat on both their girlfriends. expect nothing less of them
> 
>  
> 
> **Alexander Hamilton @adotham 10:06 AM - 5 Dec**
> 
> we were not “cheating” on our girlfriends, we were holding hands. there’s such a thing as platonic hand holding, you know, and (1 of 3)
> 
>  
> 
> **Alexander Hamilton @adotham 10:08 AM - 5 Dec**
> 
> @johnlaur and i are friends. friends and only friends. perhaps you’ve never understood the word but that’s no excuse. also, you have nothi (2 of 3)
> 
>  
> 
> **Alexander Hamilton @adotham 10:09 AM - 5 Dec**
> 
> ng to say… what’s with @jmadz and you? got a little someon on the side? (3 of 3)
> 
>  
> 
> **Thomas Jefferson @thomasthomas 10:13 AM - 5 Dec**
> 
> @adotham madison and i are not dating. and we’re discussing your relationships not mine
> 
>  
> 
> **Alexander Hamilton @adotham 10:14 AM - 5 Dec**
> 
> @thomasthomas avoidance of a topic is roundabout confirmation. also i’ve already explained that i am not cheating on eliza. @johnlaur and i (1 of 2)
> 
>  
> 
> **Alexander Hamilton @adotham 10:15 AM - 5 Dec**
> 
> are simply good friends, not boyfriends. either concept of which you would be unfamiliar with. (2 of 2)
> 
>  
> 
> **Charles Lee @charles.lee 10:31 AM - 5 Dec**
> 
> @adotham @johnlaur of course you’d get in a relationship. queers are ruining our country
> 
>  
> 
> **Alexander Hamilton @adotham 10:32 AM - 5 Dec**
> 
> @charles.lee we’ve already established that i am not dating @johnlaur. still dating @elizaschuy. not only that but your use of the (1 of 2)
> 
>  
> 
> **Alexander Hamilton @adotham 10:33 AM - 5 Dec**
> 
> ‘q’ slur is highly offensive to many people. i assume you didn’t know and just used it in bad taste. (2 of 2)

***

John’s computer been dinging all day, probably from Alex’s twitter wars (which happened frequently enough), and he was steadfastly refusing to engage. He buried his head in his hands and stared at his math homework.

He hated math.

With a growl, he grabbed his graph paper with only his name and the date at the top and crumpled it, throwing it across the room.

Glaring at it, he rested his head on his desk and shut his eyes. It was Saturday, after all… he could afford to take a break…

Apparently not, as his phone started chiming in the way that always made him wince.

His dad was calling again.

Sighing, he pulled his phone out and picked up the call.

_ “Jack, what is this?!” _ He flinched immediately. Henry’s voice was full of the anger that always led to more punishments. Right then and there, he was glad he was in Manhattan.

“Um, what?”

_ “I thought you were with the Mannings’ girl!” _

“Yes, sir… as far as I know I’m still with her…” he answered tentatively, racking his mind for what his dad could be calling about.

_ “Then what. Is. This. Picture?” _ Scratch that, his dad was past screaming and was just whispering in venomous tones.

However, he still didn’t know what his dad was talking about. “I’m sorry, dad -  _ sir _ \- I still don’t know what you mean.”

_ “Have you checked any of your social media today?” _

“No,” he said, “do you want me to check it right now?”

_ “Yes.” _

He rolled over to the computer and pulled up Twitter.

“What the hell?”

He scrolled down. Not only was there the picture that someone had taken of him and Alex in the hallway from yesterday, but then there were tons of comments about it. And every one of them had Alex’s responses. He must’ve spent the whole day on his phone. Good lord.

He tuned back into his dad barking at him over the phone.  _ “Yes, Jacky, what the hell indeed! I expected better of you, you barely lasted - what was it? two months? - and the entire point of sending you up there was to cure you, maybe we should look into reformational institutions. Turn you into the young man we want. Do you have any explanations for me?!” _ He could practically hear his dad spitting into the phone and shuddered.

“Uh… Alex and I aren’t dating?” Any explanation he gave his dad would just lead to his words being turned around and directed back at him.

_ “Sure. Look at that picture and tell me honestly you aren’t dating. And while you both had girlfri -” _

“Martha isn’t my girlfriend,” he blurted, and then slapped a hand over his mouth. He hadn’t meant to expose her to his dad. Who would surely go right ahead and tell her parents, and he had no way of gauging her parents’ answer. Maybe they’d send her to a pray the gay away camp.  _ Dammit, John. _

A pause.

_ “I’m sorry, what?” _ his dad spat.

“We, er…” He racked his brain. Tell the truth? No, that would never work. He panicked. “…broke up a few days ago.” Crap. Crap crap crap.

_ “And you saw fit to just not tell me this? We were all ready to invite you and your girlfriend home for Christmas, Jack, but with this… incident… I’m not sure if I’ll be able to expose your siblings to… you,” _ he said, pronouncing the last word with a definite sneer that John could hear over the phone.

Wait, what? No. No, he had to go home and make sure the kids were okay. He hadn’t talked to them in months, he didn’t know if they were okay. Henry couldn’t take this away from him too, could he? “Sir-”

_ “No buts, Jack. You threw away your chance. I hope you can get it together by your next winter break. That’s in February, correct? Good luck,” _ and with a final beep the call ended. He dropped his phone in his lap and stared at it. How was it possible that a man seven hundred miles away from him could have this much influence over his life?

He went back on the computer and scrolled through the twitter notifications. Alex had answered every single tweet about it in several rebuttals (he’d never agreed with the 140 character limit), completely and utterly denying his and John’s relationship status. He sighed, slumping in his seat. He didn’t know what he’d expected, but some tiny thread of hope inside him had held out, completely irrationally, that Alex would confirm their relationship and everyone would live happily ever after. Ha.

His phone buzzed cheerfully. He picked it up and resisted the urge to chuck it across the room, sliding it open instead and reading the text he got.

**Martha: hoo boy did u see the twitter wars?**

**John: jesus no kidding**

**John: so sorry about that**

**John: oh… and my dad called and i kind of told him we broke up?**

**Martha: you did > lol i was about to tell you that i told my parents the same thing**

**Martha: your dad sent my parents the picture and stuff and they called me right away**

**John: seriously?**

**Martha: we shouldve broken up soon anyway, i dont think we have any hope of convnicing our parents**

**Martha: also it was starting to get in the way of you and alex ;)))))))**

**John: we aren’t together! why does everyone say that?**

**Martha: maybe from the way you both look at each other**

**Martha: not exactly subtle.**

Well, if he wasn’t blushing before, he was now. Good thing no one could see him.

**John: r u in trouble w ur parents**

**Martha: nah**

**Martha: they threatened to send me to a pray the gay away camp but i was like itll mess up school and they were like ok during the summer then. :/ I have six months to figure it out**

**John: oh. that sucks. my dad threatened but idek**

**John: oh and also**

**John: i know this girl**

**John: i think you and her would get along ;)**

**Martha: im good i got my eyes on a girl already**

**Martha: tx tho lol**

**John: ok *thumbs up***

**Martha: u could just put in the emoji u kno**

**John: my phones too dinky lol**

**Martha: ah.**

**Martha: you should ask your parents for a better phone isnt ur fam loaded**

**John: *shudders***

**Martha: fair point**

**Martha: i gotta go now byee**

**John: k bye**

***

Alex tugged his cello out of its floppy case and balanced the knob under his chin while he pulled out his bow. He lugged everything to his seat and flopped down, greeting the people around him: Angelica was warming up with some solo pieces from her private teacher, John was messing around making cow-ish noises on his viola, and Peggy was chatting with Lafayette. Burr was playing a technical-sounding etude, Eliza was reading a book on her lap, and Mulligan was in the back doing his homework. He sighed, smiling to himself. He liked orchestra.

Soon enough, Washington was circling his hand in the air, quieting the students. “I know we have another concert coming up in a month or so, but I think we can pull this next song off.” They cheered and waved their bows despite not knowing what the song was as Washington turned and pulled out a thick sheaf of music, dividing it by section and handing it to the first chairs. “It’s a viola concerto -” someone booed, and the entire viola section turned and glared in the direction of the sound - “with a decent orchestral part as well. It’s a fun song, I think.” Alex took the pages Angelica handed him and scanned the music.  _ Viola Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 12 _ by someone named Seitz. If they could pull off the dynamics, this looked like it’d be a great song.

Beside him, John had received the music and turned a faint shade of pale green. “Hey, are you okay?”

“He gave me the solo part,” John whispered, not tearing his eyes away from the music as he frantically looked it up and down.

“I mean, he wouldn’t give it to Peggy… they’re in sixth grade, honestly, they have a lot more chances…” Alex reasoned. “Um, sorry, that’s probably not what you want to hear right now.” He adopted a chipper cereal-commercial kiddy smile. “You’ll do great! I believe in you!”

Despite his extremely fake demeanor, John smiled a little. “Thanks.” He went back to studying the music, putting it back on the stand and trying out some of the harder passages experimentally. “You know, this isn’t as hard as it looks,” he commented, looking more cheerful with every passing second.

“Moral support! Moral support! Moral support!” Alex chanted, to the beat of the music he was playing.

“Alex, I appreciate it but that’s really distracting,” John laughed. Alex nodded, whispering the words instead of full-out chanting them. John struggled with himself for a moment, then shrugged. “That works.” He resumed stress-playing.

Too soon, Washington was calling the orchestra to order once again, causing a mild look of panic to appear on John’s face again. “Let’s sightread this, okay? The orchestral part isn’t very difficult, and -” he turned to John “- I don’t believe you’ll have much trouble with the solo part.” John nodded, shoulders easing slightly and posture straightening.

They started playing it.

Well. Alex could definitely say the dynamics needed a lot of work, and the phrasing, and basically everything that wasn’t hard-up notes, but…

He still thought they had a shot at this. Especially with John on their side, who was apparently freaking  _ amazing _ at sight-reading. He envied John.

“That was pretty good. Let’s read it through one more time and then I’ll work separately with the sections. Keep the dynamics and phrasing in mind.” The second time was marginally better.

Washington instructed everyone to look at their parts and work out the notes while he worked with the first violins on one of the harder passages. He fingered the phrases that had more notes or accidentals, but in general the orchestra parts were designed to back up the soloist, not have their own melody, so it was pretty easy.

Angelica got tired of fingering it as well and started doing some of her private-lesson songs. He slouched back in his seat and let his mind drift back to John, who was flipping through the pages and fingering the song on his viola.

He was just so  _ pretty _ , with his eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he stared at the music and his fingers flew over the wood. And his freckles, which covered his face like powdered sugar on pancakes and were just as sweet. And his hair, curly and springy and everywhere, escaping the ponytail it was in.

Angelica, on his left, poked him. He turned.  _ “You’re staring,” _ she hissed, and that was when he remembered that he had a girlfriend and probably shouldn’t be looking at John like that. He glanced at Eliza, who was watching him and Angelica interact without any trace of interaction. He hoped vaguely that she didn’t see him looking at John.

They spent the rest of the class period working on it. Another thing Alex liked about Washington was that he got right to it and nitpicked all the songs through. It might be tedious, but he got a lot of work done in very little time.

He was struggling to pull the bottom of his cloth case over the endpin when Eliza walked up to him. He stopped wrestling with his case momentarily. “Oh, hey Eliza.”

“Hi Alex,” she said expectantly. Um.

“What do you need? I’m at your service,” he tried. She laughed gently.

“Actually, Alex… I was wondering if you could explain this.” With a furtive look at Washington (they weren’t technically allowed phones in school, but as long as you were careful you wouldn’t get caught), she brandished her phone at him. His breath caught.

Of course this picture would come back to haunt him, over and over.

“I’m not cheating on you with John,” he rushed out, and then quailed under the look she gave him.

“You better not be,” she said, switching into Scary Eliza mode, “so explain this.”

“It’s… platonic?”

“Why’d James Monroe put the caption then?”

He shrugged. “I can’t explain James Monroe except that he’s a dick,” he said, startling as the bell rang and people started pushing each other out of the room. He turned and tried to hightail it out of there.

“Oh look at that, it’s the bell, I guess I gotta go -”

“Wait a second, Alex.”

He twisted back to look at her. She seemed to gather up her nerve for something.

“I… think we would work better as friends,” she blurted. He stared at her blankly. She saw his expression and hastened to explain. “I just… I know you like me, but I don’t really think it’s  _ in that way _ , you know? I feel like I’m holding you back.”

Reality finally caught up with his brain. “Oh my god, are you breaking up with me?”

She started fidgeting with her shirt, not looking at him. “I mean… that was the general idea, yeah.”

“And you want to be just friends?” he clarified.

“Uh-huh.”

“Alright.”

“Wait, what?”

“I agree with you,” he said. She looked a little surprised, maybe that he was taking this so well. And a bit affronted.

“Also, I think you’ve got a little crush of your own. Sending all those little hearts to Maria,” he teased. She flushed.

“That may be, but at least I’m way less obvious than you and John.” He spluttered. She laughed at him, eyes twinkling. “Oh come on, you two are more obvious than Max and Flo in Wendy Mass’s  _ Willow Falls _ Series. And they drank a literal love potion and were attached at the hip.”

“Uh… what?”

“Have you not read those yet? They’re great. She wrote like, a series about this one little town where there’s a lady with… magic powers, for lack of any better words. Look it up.”

“No, I meant. I. I’m not  _ obvious _ and I most certainly do not like any John Laurens!” he shouted.

“Denial!” she sang.

“…anyway. Both our crushes have partners anyway…” he reminded her.

“…right. Yeah,” she mumbled.

The second bell rang. They both popped up abruptly from where they’d been.

“Well, crap.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed! sorry i didn't update sooner, i spent a loong time making fake tweets and couldn't figure out how to insert the images off my computer bc it's weird and stupid :( sorry!  
> also, me: alone person who has never been in a relationship, nor has broken up from one, so idk whether I wrote this well? sorry  
> also, does anyone else call the point/spike/endpin on the cello an empet (like armpit)? i was looking online to see how to spell it and only found 'endpin' so that's what i put in, but i am confused :/   
> see yall soonish~


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More awkward flirting, I guess?... John and Alex are so awkward I stg

Alex slipped into his chair behind the teacher’s back, who was scratching away at the whiteboard with a too-dry marker. John shifted in his chair a little bit. “Where were you?”

“Talking to Eliza,” he hissed back, “she kept me after orchestra.” John raised his eyebrows.

“You’re turning her into a rebel, Alex. Don’t let Angie hear about this, she’ll blame the bad influence on you.”

“Oh but it is my bad influence,” he laughed.

“Hamilton! Don’t let me catch you flirting in my classroom again,” the teacher scolded. He lowered his voice.

“Oh, he won’t _catch_ me flirting,” he whispered. John blushed and stared at his paper. He laughed to himself and turned back up to the board, taking notes from the mindless droning. He hated English. The word limits always restricted him, though that didn’t really stop him from going five pages over. Ugh.

***

Alex brought his tray to the table and hooked his leg around the little round stools. “Hey guys.”

“Hi,” John said.

“…and you know that double cello concerto thing? The bass part is basically like the cello part but easier. Honestly! It’s the worst. But the new viola thing, that’s got a decent part. It’s fun,” Mulligan said, hands waving.

“I know, right? Like the viola part is the absolute worst, all the time, I mean except  for the viola concerto obviously but the backup part is boring too, and every other time it’s just like _mueh mueh mueh_ ,” John said, imitating bad viola playing. Peggy leaned themself across the table, forgotten sandwich dripping sloppy joe juice.

“I heard _viola_?”

“Peggy! Come rant with me on the shortcomings of the viola part!” John said, lighting up.

Peggy cracked their knuckles. “Ohhh yes. My sisters know how good I am at ranting this…”

Around five minutes in, Eliza stopped talking to Maria and noticed that Peggy was nearly standing on their chair, spitting words out so fast their mouth couldn’t really keep up. The others were all just kind of watching them in awe, occasionally egging them on.

“Peggy! Get down from there!” She jumped up and pulled them back down.

“Aww, Eliza, I was just getting started,” Peggy pouted.

“Yeah, well, the lunch lady was about to come over, so…” she tugged them into their chair. “Thank you.”

“You know, you people have been - how you say - argumenting? argumentating?”

“Arguing,” Mulligan supplied.

“- ah yes, arguing, and you don’t play second violin. The section is literally the leftover people from the first violins, it is terrible. Everyone makes fun of us and even I will agree that we deserve it. And all of our parts are about as appetizing as week-old leftov-”

The lunch bell cut them off. “Crap,” Alex said, springing up from his stool and tripping backwards. He hit someone and brought them down, almost triggering a domino effect as he fell. The person under him moaned. “CrapcrapcrapcrapcrapI’msosorryohmygod-” he pushed himself up and saw Thomas Jefferson lying on the ground under him, hair fanned out on the plaquey floor tiles. “-um.” Jefferson propped himself up on one elbow, feeling for the back of his head.

“You okay?”

“I’d be a lot _more_ okay if you hadn’t knocked me down,” Jefferson spat. His button-up had come undone at the top and was slung haphazardly to one side.

“I… um…” For once, he felt a little bad for Jefferson. “Sorry.” The other students had swirled around the little hubbub and gone their merry way, his friends included. Great friends they were.

Jefferson picked up the trash he’d spilled and stood, cracking his back as he threw out his styrofoam tray. His eyes trailed after him. There was a thick black tanktop-esque strap visible on Jefferson’s shoulder. “Hey, um… Thomas?”

He turned. “What.”

Alex gestured awkwardly to his shoulder. “You’ve got a, um…”

Jefferson twisted to look at it and paled, adjusting his shirt so it covered the strap. “Thanks, Hamilton.” He left without another word, leaving Alex staring after him.

***

**MarLaw: hey big bro**

**MarLaw: whassup**

**John: HII**

**John: i thought dad banned u from talking to me??**

**John: i wouldve contacted u guys a lot earlier if i’d known omg how are the lil sibs and mom**

**MarLaw: mom convinced him on the basis of letting u kno what u were missing so u’d have more ‘motivation’ to come home**

**John: smart**

**MarLaw: anyway, junior’s adhd and going even more nuts since you left**

**MarLaw: i think u helped keep him under control since dad sure as hell didnt**

**John: oh yea jr idolized me**

**MarLaw: -_+**

**MarLaw: whoops -_-**

**John: lol it looks like u have a black eye**

**MarLaw: …anyway**

**John: wait whAT that was a joke**

**MarLaw: i couldnt help it! some of the guys at school were trash talking u**

**MarLaw: so i punched one and i dont regret it at all**

**MarLaw: and i got away with it by saying that they were making “comments” and since i live in the gloriously meninist south they believed me**

**MarLaw: i got off scot free**

**John: …………………**

**John: where do u even learn these words**

**MarLaw: like wat**

**John: “meninist”?**

**MarLaw: the internet**

**MarLaw: and youtube**

**John: hhsgdhskalsj**

**John: anyway! how’s jemmy**

**MarLaw: mom’s got him under control. he doin alright**

**MarLaw: and before u ask mom is fine too she spends a lot of time with jemmy and dad doesnt bother her when shes w him**

**MarLaw: gotta instill those meninist instincts young**

**John: good**

**John: how r u doing then??**

**MarLaw: lets leave it at**

**MarLaw: dayUM i wish u took me w u to new york i hate it here**

**John: youre literally eight years old**

**MarLaw: im precocious**

**John: im sorry tho i need u as my inside woman**

**MarLaw: yas i am a Spy**

**John: great. keep updating me ok**

**MarLaw: *thumbs up***

***

**John: hey alex**

**Alexander: ayyy you called**

**Alexander: those ys are trippy heh**

**John: are you free tomorrow**

**Alexander: ye**

**Alexander: why?**

**John: ooh no hot date wit eliza?**

**Alexander: nah**

**Alexander: we broke up**

**John: ehAt**

**John: i just spit water**

**Alexander: its nothing it was mutual**

**Alexander: we function better as friends**

**John: i see**

**Alexander: now answer my question: why?**

**John: what?**

**Alexander: why’d u ask if I was free**

**John: oh ya. wanna come over tmw?**

**Alexander: absolutely!**

**John: for some reason i feel like u already knew what i was gonna ask**

**Alexander:** ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )

**John: what**

**Alexander:** ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

**John: smh ur hopeless**

***

John and Alex walked to John’s small apartment together, talking animatedly about the day and all the things that people said that had made either of them angry. Alex loved having John around to talk to; he was not only tolerant of his endless flow of ideas but also engaged in conversation with him, which a) not many people could keep up with, and b) not many people _would_ keep up with. While others would try to blow him out, John would fan the spark and let him grow into a roaring fire.

Inside the apartment was cozy and bright; John had taken advantage of his father’s absence and decorated it with pride flags, fairy lights, and pictures of his friends, plastering over one side of the wall. He’d been here a couple times before, but that was usually at least with Laf and Mulligan in tow, and sometimes the Schuylers too.

By John’s suggestion, they rummaged through his exploding pantry (it was small, and he had a lot of snack food) and found sufficient amounts of sustenance for the two of them. He pulled up KissCartoon on his laptop and clicked on Steven Universe. “D’you know what this is?” Alex shook his head, and John mock-gasped in horror. “It’s only the best cartoon ever with real characters and relationships and _gay._ ” He did jazz hands with the word _gay._

“Is it a kid’s show?” he asked tentatively.

“Steven Universe transcends the definition of _kid’s show_ ,” John said grandly, and deflated a little when Alex humphed at him. “Okay, yes it is, but it’s awesome, so I don’t care.”

“Right, because it ‘transcends the definition of kid’s show’, you told me already,” he said, making sarcastic finger quotes.

“Whatever,” John said petulantly, “let’s just start it.”

Five episodes later, Alex complained that there was no plot and that all they were doing was fight monsters. John answered that the real plot in Season 1 started at around episode thirty, which was when Alex immediately demanded that they skip to said episode. After a small hissy fight, they agreed to compromise on skipping to episode twenty-five.

Another few episodes and Alex was watching avidly, too caught up in the story to see that John was looking at him instead of at the screen with a small smile on his face.

A couple hours later, they were wrapping up the last episode, and Alex may or may not have been crying when Sapphire and Ruby fused. It was just so perfect, and gay, and _aaaah._ He sniffed loudly and reached for a tissue, fixing John with a glare. “If anyone asks, I am _not_ crying.”

“Got it,” John nodded, eyes twinkling in a way that meant that this was going on the group chat as soon as he was able to get to his phone. Alex narrowed his eyes at John, who held up his hands in surrender. Satisfied, Alex stood, stretching and popping all his joints before padding off towards the bathroom. His phone buzzed in his pocket while he was washing his hands. He pulled it out without drying them and checked.

**idrawturtles: lol u guys we were watching su and like when sapphire and ruby fused alex started crying**

**idrawturtles: my diagnosis is Gay Overload™**

**BAGUETTE: you were hanging out together?**

**BAGUETTE: without moi????**

**BAGUETTE: i am, how you say, highly offended**

**pegsters: stop pretending like you don’t know English, it’s probably better than almost everyone’s here**

**horseswithcorsets: they can’t help it they think it makes them look cute**

**BAGUETTE: it does!**

**horseswithcorsets: as ur bf i will withhold comment**

**BAGUETTE: whats that supposed to mean**

**_aneglicatheanegl_ ** _has changed their username to_ **_angaylica_ **

**angaylica: look guys much better**

**pegsters: *gays**

**angaylica: look gays much better**

**angaylica: anyway can we get back to the point that alex was crying because something was too gay for him to handle**

**angaylica: like personally i find that hilarious**

**hamtheman: stop it it was an emotional scene i don’t need ur sass rn**

**hamtheman: john why would u expose me like this i thought i meant more to u than that**

**BAGUETTE: he does ;;;;;;)))))**

**idrawturtles: …**

**hamtheman: …**

**idrawturtles: wait where’re liza and maria? i feel like they’d love this story**

**hamtheman: NO NO NO NON ONONOI NIONO**

**hamtheman: enough let my shame be buried**

**angaylica: never**

**angaylica: they’re hanging out in liza’s room i think**

**BAGUETTE: oooooooo ;) ;) ;) ;))))))))**

**angaylica: you know what? i’m done. bye.**

**_angaylica_ ** _has left the chat_

**BAGUETTE: lol i have no regrets**

Alex turned his phone off and rejoined John on the couch, who’d stretched out like a lanky, freckled angel during his absence, with a pillow over his face. “Move over.” John whined in response. He sighed and lifted up John’s legs, flopping down before dropping them back into his lap. John grumbled a little and shifted the pillow so one eye was free. His heart flipped over in his chest. He was unnecessarily cute this way. How was it possible for one human being to store this much cuteness in them?

He stuck out his tongue at John, who scootched the pillow over more so he could stick his tongue out. He curled his tongue in a U, which John answered by curling his tongue into a triple-folded thing that he liked to call a cauliflower. He twisted his tongue around in his mouth for a few moments before giving up. “You win.”

John hummed happily and burrowed deeper into the couch. He started poking at John’s calves (they were really nice. Seriously, the world was unfair), laughing when John twitched the slightest bit and grumbled a little. It reminded him of the one scene in _Totoro_ where Mei was tickling Totoro’s nose and he kept almost-sneezing, with the whiskers prickling up. That was one of his favorite scenes. He kept poking until John groaned deep in his throat and sat up, hair compressed on one side and wildly curly on the other. “Whaaaaaat.”

“Get up, get up, get up!”

“I’m up. What do you want now?”

He scooted closer and put his face right in John’s face, looked him very seriously in the eye, and said _“Food.”_

John sighed and ran a hand through his already-rumpled hair. “Okay, fine. But you’re getting, like, canned soup or something. Or whatever I find in the freezer.” Alex nodded happily at him.

They ate dinner quietly at the table together, both tired (though Alex would never admit it) from the Steven Universe marathon they’d had. He checked his phone again afterwards and discovered to his amazement that it was already seven o’clock. “I should go.”

John gave him the puppy-dog-eyes.

“No, really.”

He batted his eyelashes and turned up the intensity of the eyes.

“Like, it’s seven o’clock and I have to walk home.”

If John could have wiggled his tail, he probably would’ve, just to finish off the begging-puppy look. He sighed. “How am I supposed to say no to that face?” He tugged his hair. “I’ll stay twenty minutes, okay?”

John beamed.

They cuddled sleepily for another thirty minutes, which was when Alex noticed the clock and realized he needed to leave, like, ten minutes ago. “I really need to go now, John.” He detached himself gently from John, who was clinging on to his clothes like a grabby toddler. “John.”

“Mmph.” John stretched up as he maneuvered himself into a sitting position, exposing a line of tan skin on his stomach, and Alex tried hard not to blush as he stared at the ceiling fixedly. How was it possible that John was that tan? It was _winter_ , for God’s sake.

Like a good host, John walked him to the door of the little apartment, leaning against the wall while he shoved his shoes on. “Oh, that reminds me, do you want to spend Christmas at my place?” John asked.

 _Yes_ , he did want to, but would that be awkward? Just the two of them for Christmas. That seemed awfully date-like. His uncle probably wouldn’t mind, might even enjoy having the house to himself so he could get drunk or whatever. It was probably okay, right? Abruptly, he realized that John had taken his silence as a _no_ and was now stumbling awkwardly through his words, apologizing for seeming too forward or something like that. “No, John, I mean, yes of course I’d love to! Um, would it be with the rest of the squad or no?”

John flushed. “I think just us… everyone else has plans already.” _Everyone else has families._

“You know, John, if you wanted to ask me on a date you could’ve just said so,” he teased, expecting John to reply with like banter.

Instead, John turned even redder and basically shoved him out the door, stuttering “bye, Alex” as he did.

Huh. Was it possible that John actually liked him?

Nah, he decided, why would anyone ever like him? Even Eliza turned out not to like him _in that way_. He sighed and heaved himself down the dingy hallway. He was going to be home late, again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry this took so long! *internally cringes at self* why am i a mess  
> this is a little shorter than usual but i'm going on vacation soon and won't be able to update for probably three weeks - I'll still write and update once I get back though.  
> hope you enjoyed this though


	11. CHRISTMASSS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> fluff happens!
> 
> however tw for an emotionally abusive James Reynolds. he's such a dick why did he exist. sorry and stay safe <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello hello hello!!! Newly back and jetlagged from my vacation  
> but here is 3700 words of nonseasonal fluff to make up for it enjoyy  
> also a shout out to one Sea Turtle whose massive comment probably motivated me to write as much as I did over vacation? so thanks! I love it. <3 another shout out to MonsterTruckToadette for leaving comments consistently and being a general all around awesome person! <3 to u too!

Laf was by far the most excited.

They spun over to Alex, manic glint in their eyes as they grabbed his face, pressed a loud, wet kiss to each cheek, and danced away, presumably to find another victim. “Goodbye,  _ mon petit lion, _ see you next year!”

He made a big show of wiping his cheek off in the hope that they’d see (they didn’t) and called an affectionate “good riddance!” after them. They were too busy kissing Eliza’s cheeks to care. And then Angelica. And Peggy and John and… Jefferson? And Madison and Burr?

They were going to end up kissing the whole school at this rate. Mulligan was still going after them though, his bulk allowing him to weave easily through the vacation-hazed crowd.

Eventually, he noticed that there was snow drifting from the sky and turned to go home, though not before a particularly strong gust of wind cleared the air for a moment and blessed his eyes with the sight of Laf and Mulligan making out over by some benches.

Well. At least Mulligan caught up to them…?

Trudging slowly through the rapidly worsening snowstorm was miserable. Hands shoved deep into his pockets and wind whistling, he let his hair whip around his head in a wild mess, flicking bits of snow and ice into his face. Pulling it back would make his ears colder. He yanked up the collar of his thin coat and buried his face as far down as he could in it, shivering.

He didn’t even make it down the street before someone yanked a thick woolen beanie on his head and over his eyes. His initial reaction was that they were attacking him, and he had his fists up before anyone said a word. The person laughed, and he relaxed: It was John. He’d recognize that laugh anywhere.

He dropped his fists. “What’re you playing at, John?” he said, no real malice behind his words and voice muffled. He peeled the hat up so he could glare at him.

“Are you seriously going home in just that? Jesus Christ, you’re gonna freeze, Alex.” John shrugged. “Are you honestly gonna tell me that you didn’t want it?”

He responded by sticking his tongue out. John pursed his lips, inadvertently drawing his gaze to them before he could snap his eyes back up to meet John’s, blushing.

“LAURENS!” They both turned to see Mulligan barreling towards them. John’s body tensed, ready to run.

“Oh and I may have stolen that beanie from Mulligan so gotta go see you for Christmas-” John raced off, leaving Alex squinting for him through the snow. He ran like a chicken, all long legs and elbows.

Mulligan came to a sudden stop beside him. “Hey, Hammy, did you see which way John went?” He pointed.

“Thanks, man - and if you want to keep the beanie that’s fine, I can knit another over break -” Alex opened his mouth to protest that he didn’t need to be treated like another  _ charity case _ but Mulligan cut him off - “consider it a Christmas gift, bro, or whatever other holiday you celebrate. Now I gotta go catch Laurens, so bye! Have a great vacation!” Mulligan sped after John with a backwards wave, leaving Alex standing there with his hair flying about his face, only slightly tamed by the hat.

The wind had picked up, howling and whipping snow in his face. He tugged the beanie over his ears and hunched his shoulders, wishing his coat was a little thicker. He was too proud to ask his uncle for more clothes.

The Schuyler siblings walked by: Eliza wished him happy holidays, Angelica told him to practice more, and Peggy punched him in the arm. Typical. He hitched his backpack up and kept walking into the wind, rubbing his arms and clenching his teeth to keep them from chattering.

“Alexander, you need to get a better coat,” Burr advised as he walked by, arm in arm with Theo.

“My God, Hamilton, do you not have enough money to buy something better than that rag?” Jefferson asked brashly, holding mittened hands with Madison, who tugged him away as he muttered a “happy holidays” to Alex. He scowled.

He didn’t look  _ that _ ragged, did he?

No matter. He held his head high and glared down everyone who came within speaking distance.

Needless to say, he got home without much more commotion, though he resolved to layer up more next time he went out. Even if it meant looking like a mutant snowman.

Though he probably wasn’t going to anyway.

***

**Maria <3: hey liza u awake**

**Eliza <3: sure what do you need?**

**Maria <3: nothing could you just talk to me**

**Eliza <3: okay**

**Eliza <3: well what’d you eat for dinner today?**

**Maria <3: idk haven’t eaten dinner yet**

**Eliza <3: what?! it’s eleven pm honey go eat something**

**Maria <3: i’m not hungry**

**Eliza <3: you should still go eat**

**Maria <3: by not hungry i mean i shouldn’t eat but im ravenous**

**Eliza <3: why shouldnt you eat??**

**Maria <3: James said i should watch my weight**

**Eliza <3: james has no business telling you not to eat**

**Maria <3: james is my boyfriend**

**Eliza <3: and i’m your best friend, and i’m telling you u should eat and that’s unhealthy**

**Maria <3: …**

**Eliza <3: what food do u have in the house**

**Maria <3: fine**

**Eliza <3: good. eat and then text me back k?**

**Maria <3: done**

**Maria <3: James is texting me now so i gtg but**

**Maria <3: thanks**

**Eliza <3: what are best friends for?**

**Eliza <3: ily. sleep soon k?**

**Maria <3: ilyt, and i will mom**

**Eliza <3: <333**

***

**James < 3: hey babe**

**Maria: hey**

**James < 3: whatchu doin**

**Maria: getting ready for bed**

**James < 3: it’s not that late**

**Maria: it’s, like, 1130**

**Maria: im tired**

**James < 3: rly**

**Maria: yep. its a thing that normal people get**

**James < 3: good thing ima superhuman amirite**

**Maria: sure**

**James < 3: hey dint get like that now baby**

**Maria: sorry**

**Maria: *sorry babe**

**James < 3: good girl**

**James < 3: stay up and talk to me?**

**Maria: i think im gonna go to bed, sorry**

**Maria: talk to u tmw?**

**James < 3: no talk to me  now**

**Maria: im tired**

**James < 3: y r u always avoiding me**

**Maria: im not**

**James < 3: then talk to me**

**Maria: no**

**James < 3: hey now, don’t get like that, you remember the rule right?**

**James < 3: sleep can wait.**

**Maria: james,**

**James < 3: come on ria**

**Maria: what do u even want to talk about**

***

**Eliza <3: good morning! did u sleep well?**

**Maria <3: jameb got me too stay up til2 talkng**

**Eliza <3: seriously?**

**Eliza <3: you have to do smth about that maria**

**Eliza <3: sleep is important! Food is important! All he does is tear you down I don’t get it you just need to say no sometimes**

**Maria <3: i did!**

**Maria <3: but he wouldn’t listen till I gave in :(**

**Eliza <3: okay, well, at least you did say no. Good job on that**

**Maria <3: …**

**Eliza <3: I’m serious**

**Maria <3: i should go have breakfast now ill talk to u later?**

**Eliza <3: okay..?**

**Maria <3: ily**

**Eliza <3: ilyt <3**

***

**BESTey: ALEX**

**BESTey: ALEX WAKE UP**

**BESTey: ALEX**

**BESTey: ALEX**

**BESTey: ALEX**

**BESTey: ALEX**

**BESTey: ALEX**

**BESTey: ALEX**

**BESTey: ALEX**

**Alexander the Great: ughh what**

**BESTey: ALEX**

**BESTey: ALEX**

**BESTey: oh good you’re up**

**Alexander the Great: no thanks to u**

**Alexander the Great: tho I should probably start my vacation work so thanks**

**BESTey: no talk to me**

**BESTey: please??????**

**Alexander the Great: fine ok what’s up**

**BESTey: MARIA’S SO PERFECT**

**Alexander the Great: so you’ve told me**

**Alexander the Great: did u really wake me up just for another Gay Panic**

**BESTey: more like pan panic**

**BESTey: PANic**

**Alexander the Great: that was a terrible pun**

**BESTey: fine be that way >:(**

**Alexander the Great: ok what did u really wake me up for**

**BESTey: mARiaaaaaaaa aaaah**

**Alexander the Great: betseeeeeeeyyyy**

**BESTey: I want her to break up with her bf**

**Alexander the Great: ofc u do you have a CRUSH on her**

**BESTey: no like**

**BESTey: well yes but he’s not good to her**

**Alexander the Great: what’s his name again? James reynolds?**

**BESTey: yeah. emotionally manipulative, dominating, etc etc. the works**

**Alexander the Great: and she doesn’t realize it**

**BESTey: and she’s way too good for him and idk how to help and what do I do she needs me**

**BESTey: no I think she thinsk since he’s her bf he gets special rights and that includes food and sleep deprivation??**

**Alexander the Great: wtf**

**Alexander the Great: what a douchey douche douche**

**BESTey: THANK YOU!!**

**BESTey: you get me**

**Alexander the Great: I do**

**Alexander the Great: but like, why aren’t u asking angelica and peggy for this? would they be more helpful? idk what to do really except u kno**

**Alexander the Great: punching him right in his Doucheyness**

**BESTey: well they’re still asleep and u r reliably awake all the time so**

**Alexander the Great: wow so u only want me bc it’s convenient I see how it is >:((((((**

**BESTey: I knew u’d understand**

**BESTey: ok I’m just gonna provide moral support and drop hints about what an ass James is**

**BESTey: I knew you’d help! Thanks alex! ('- 3 -')**

**Alexander the Great: glad I could help I guess. See u on new years!**

***

“Hey Alex! Happy Christmas Eve!” John exclaimed, bobbing on the balls of his feet and pulling Alex into a hug. The hug lasted a good minute longer than the Bro Code justified, but he didn’t care and evidently neither did John, so. Neither of them were complaining.

If anyone asked, no, he was not nuzzling his face into John’s chest. Just for the record.

(He could hear his heartbeat.)

Eventually Alex pulled back reluctantly and surveyed John’s Christmas outfit. He was wearing a gigantic red fleecy shirt that went to his mid-thighs and green pajama pants with turtles on them, along with a pair of fluffy yellow Woodstock slippers and a sparkle-covered Santa hat with felt reindeer antlers on top. The combination was… blinding. Whether that was good or not was up for interpretation.

But who could be remotely upset when there was a supremely happy John Laurens in front of them? So Alex smiled brightly and returned the holiday greetings, clutching the small, newspaper-wrapped package that was John’s present and fiddling with the twine.

John bounced backwards into his apartment, yanking Alex in by one hand and swinging the door closed and locking it with the other. He figured this was as good a time as any to give John his present, shoving it towards him wordlessly. “Oh, Alex, thank you!” John took the box and tossed it under the small tree he had. “I’ve a present for you too, we can open ‘em later.”

The apartment was surprisingly festive. Fairy lights strung up around the room, gas fire in the fireplace, and a very small tree (branch?) with tiny gold and white sparkling ornaments all over it. “You really decorate well, John Laurens.”

“I had a lot of time and money, Alexander Hamilton.” And  _ oh, _ he liked the sound of his full name rolling off John’s tongue too much. He laughed over-brightly, twisting a lock of hair around a finger and tugging lightly.

“Wanna start the movies?”

“Movies?”

“Well, I have  _ Polar Express, Elf, _ the  _ Peanuts _ Christmas special I can’t remember what it’s called,  _ Frozen _ …”

“I have actually never watched any of those.”

“What! Even Frozen? That is an outrage.” John grabbed Alex’s hand and pulled him down on the couch. He overbalanced and fell onto John, bouncing back too quickly and collapsing on the other side of the couch, face bright red. John (hopefully) didn’t notice, pressing play on the remote and just as quickly pausing it. “Alex! You’re not wearing festive clothing!” He looked down at himself. Jeans and a t-shirt, like usual, and his deliberately mismatched blue-and-orange socks.

“Um…”

“‘T’s fine, I’ve got extra,” John announced, going into his room and rummaging around for a few seconds before popping back out with a stack of brown cloth. “Here.”

He held the bundle out in front of him, looking it over with a critical eye. “Is this really necessary?”

“Yes, Alex, yes it is,” John deadpanned, “now go put on your reindeer onesie and stop arguing.”

“Wai- a wha- what?-” Alex sputtered, backpedaling uselessly as John pushed him into the bathroom and shut the door. The lock clicked.

“Have fun!”

Alex threw the onesie on the counter. “What kinda bathroom has a lock on the  _ outside _ ?” He unfolded it gingerly and looked at it. Brown, fluffy, and probably two sizes too large for him. He was going to be swimming in the fabric.

He took off his clothes and pulled on the onesie. He had to roll it up to even see his fingertips. And there was a pom-pom on his butt. He did a final twirl and grimaced at himself in the mirror before exiting the bathroom, shoulders hunched so the fabric would drape over and cover his face.

“John, why would you do this to me?”

John took one look at him and burst out laughing. He crossed his arms and turned his back to John. “‘S’not funny!”

John wheezed. “You have a pom-pom on your butt.”

“Thanks for noticing.”

“You look so cute though!” John was just staring at him, starry-eyed. He blushed, right on cue, and sat down on the couch.

“Can we just start the movie?”

John relented. “Okay, fine.” He pressed play.

***

John had dozed off sometime after the Peanuts special, but Alex was still watching intently. Elsa was about to hit Anna in the heart when he shouted “NO ELSA NO” and startled John awake. He rubbed his eyes blearily and asked what was going on.

“Elsa messed up she messed up and all she wanted to do was live in the mountain by herself so she wouldn’t  _ hurt _ anyone it’s not it’s not her fault -” John yawned. “How can you just  _ yawn, _ Anna’s gonna die and Elsa’s gonna be cast away aNd - and HANS is gonna be the RULER! I have a really bad feeling about Hans! And anyone can see, Anna, that Kristoff likes you and he is MUCH better than Hans -” Alex cried.

“Mm.”

Alex fell back on the couch, eyebrows furrowed. John sighed himself back to sleep.

But by the time the movie ended, it was 11:45 PM, and Alex was happy. “I saw that twist coming a mile away. I called it.  _ I. Called. It. _ I called it. I called it. I was right, I was right,  _ IwasrightIwasright _ uh huh uh huh woop beat that! I called it! I called -” He was doing a little dance and shaking the whole couch.

“Mmm. Alex. Shush.” John waved at him sleepily. “Sleep now. Talk later.”

“But-”

John latched on to his wrist and pulled him down on the couch, landing ungracefully with an  _ oof _ , elbows splayed. He fought a blush.

John mumbled something unintelligible and curled up around Alex tightly like a small Latino koala bear. He was asleep in moments: Eyes closed tightly, lashes curling across freckled cheeks, lips open slightly and puffing a tiny bit of air every time John exhaled. Hair spread out in a tangly, frizzy mess like a halo.

Alex was in too deep.

***

He woke up to watery hazel eyes an inch from his, noses touching. “John?”

“Alex! You’re awake!” The eyes disappeared. He stared at the ceiling blankly.

“I’m too tired for this.”

He was answered with a slightly lumpy, rectangular package thrown at his face, which he, with his tired reflexes, did not catch. “Ow!”

“Sorry. Merry Christmas!” John did not sound repentant, at all. He sat up and glared at the present. It was lumpy; there were tangles of tape all over it, barely holding the ripped pieces of wrapping paper together. In short, it was a mess. He held it aloft, Simba-like.

“This is a work of art.”

“I know, right? It ripped the first time, but then I ran out of paper and tried to tape it back together, but the tape kept landing on the wrong place and I’d pull it up and the paper would rip again, and so I was just like  _ screw it _ and covered it with tape.” John shrugged. “It’s Christmas, man, no shaming me!”

“Kinky.”

John groaned and threw a pillow at him. He laughed. “Open your present.”

He turned the package upside down, looking for a weak spot in the tape. “Literally how am I supposed to open this.”

“Oh give it here,” John ordered, and after looking at it ripped the whole package apart (tape stretching and snapping and  _ no, _ he was not watching the way John’s arms flexed under his sweater). The wrapping paper fell open, and he gathered up the things from inside and threw them at Alex: two notebooks and a calligraphy pen. He picked up the notebooks, flipped one open. It was lined, with a ribbon and a back pocket and leather-looking covers.

“Wow.”

John didn’t answer; he was reading a nondescript Christmas card from his significantly larger pile of presents, eyebrows furrowed.

He opened the other notebook. It had… staff lines? Every page had extra margins for writing side notes, and the staff lines were elegant and light enough to write on top of. He looked up at John. “Is this a music notebook?”

John responded this time, eyes holding some strange, haunted quality that hadn’t been there five minutes ago. “Yeah. I thought you might like to try writing music? It seems like the kind of thing you’d like to do. You’re always humming, anyway.” He looked a little nervous for Alex’s reaction.

“No, no, it’s great. I’ve kinda always wanted to try it but never had the excuse? I guess? So thanks,” he rambled. He scooted over to John and wrapped him in a hug. “Merry Christmas.”

John nestled his head on top of Alex’s. “Merry Christmas to you, too.” He turned his head and rested his chin on John’s shoulder.

“Have you opened my present yet?”

“No, I was saving it for last.”

He dug his chin in. “Come onnnnnn.”

“Ugggh.” He ripped open the rest of his presents, piling them up behind him. A fluffy, pom-pommed hat from his mom. A pair of socks from a Henry Laurens. A photo album from “the sibs - xoxo Martha <3” with lots of pictures of John and several smaller children, all of them freckled and curly-haired like John. A pair of turtle slippers from Laf and Mulligan, and a sketchbook and art pens from the Schuylers. “Oh, Alex, I forgot they gave you stuff too - I told them to leave it here because we’d be celebrating Christmas together.” He tossed some more things at Alex.

Laf and Mulligan gave him a squishy lion stuffed animal. Angelica, a tiny cello that had to be assembled; it was in a single sheet of metal that was laser cut and had little tabs to attach the pieces together. Peggy gave him a bi-pride pin, which he promptly stuck onto his onesie. And Eliza gave him… a card with $15 to the local bookstore and a little turtle figurine taped in, with the message “go get him! ;)) <3 ~ur favorite lizard”. He groaned aloud. John leaned over. “What?”

He panicked. Slammed the card shut and said “Nothing! Nothing, zero, zip, nada. Nooope.” John reached out and picked up the little figurine, which he’d apparently squirted out of the card when he shut the card. “Why would Eliza give you this?”

“I deny everything.”

John gave him an odd look but dropped the turtle back in Alex’s hand, thankfully changing the subject. “I’m done with all my other presents, do you wanna watch me open yours?” He nodded, heart rate picking up and thudding uncomfortably in his chest. He breathed in slowly, watching John as if in slow motion pull the twine bow out and peel the newspaper off of the bundle. The turtle onesie he’d folded so carefully flopped out of the wrapping and into John’s lap. He held it up carefully.

Alex could see the exact moment John realized what it was, because a smile started at the corners of his mouth and widened alarmingly quickly. He turned to Alex, who felt his heart jump in his chest at the sheer happiness John was exuding. “Aah.”

“Aah?”

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.” John was incapable of saying anything.

“I hope that’s a good aah?”

John’s eyes were reflecting the fairy lights, glinting and watery. “I love it.”

He beamed. John draped the onesie over his shoulder and threw his arms around Alex. “Oomph.” John just squeezed him harder, snuffling into his shoulder.

“This is the best thing ever.  _ Ever. _ I love you so much.”

“I love you too. Bro.” He cursed himself in his head as John let out a watery laugh. “Are you crying? You can’t cry on Christmas, that breaks the rule.”

“What rule?”

“I dunno, the Christmas rule?” He poked John in the belly. John squealed - actually, literally squealed - and released him, curling up like a pill bug. “Ooh! Are you ticklish?” He scooted forwards and poked him repeatedly in the same spot.

John squealed again, batting his hands at Alex’s and pushing him away. “Stop, stop! Mercy!” He cackled and launched himself forwards, tickling every part of John that he could reach as John thrashed, laughing helplessly. He giggled.

Later John put on his turtle onesie over his Christmas wear, and Alex laughed at the lumps in the fabric from the clothing underneath bunching up. John told him to  _ shaddup, you _ and Alex responded with  _ never, you know you love me _ with a wink and John just sighed, a hint of a blush dusting his cheeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :j look it's a smirk with a dimple. like me!  
> https://www.amazon.com/Fascinations-Metal-Earth-Fiddle-Model/dp/B00LOZ5XJI is the link to the metal cello; it's called a bass fiddle for some reason? but is a cello. i have built one, it took me three grueling hours but it's cute so  
> there are about a million and one turtle onesies out there so I figured you could find it on your own. have fun I guess  
> also woWIE this got over 100 kudos tysm all of you! you are great people. each and every one of you. thank you thank you :*  
> next chapter should be up soon so look out for that :) peace out my friends


	12. On the Not-Quite-Twelfth Day of Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hello hello hello! long time no see! (sorry -_- i promised a soon update and i was wrong. my new school started and i've been adjusting)  
> anyway: the Twelfth Chapter, which includes an Alex rant, a bit of group chat, and a new years' party at the Schuylers! aka lams stuffing their faces with food and jeffmads sleeping on the floor of the band room. also abigail adams who is *insert ok emoji*  
> hope you enjoy and see you sometime! <3 <3 <3

> **Alexander Hamilton @adotham 11:46 PM - 27 Dec**
> 
> I’ve been thinking recently about holidays, and it occurred to me that “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer,” a common Christmas song about Santa (1 of 5)
> 
>  
> 
> **Alexander Hamilton @adotham 11:46 PM - 27 Dec**
> 
> and his reindeer, uses the lyrics to imply that making fun of and bullying others mercilessly for having some abnormal feature is acceptable (2 of 5)
> 
>  
> 
> **Alexander Hamilton @adotham 11:47 PM - 27 Dec**
> 
> unless that person is then put into a position of power by a higher-up, at which point you should turn around and kiss up to them so you can (3 of 5)
> 
>  
> 
> **Alexander Hamilton @adotham 11:48 PM - 27 Dec**
> 
> get buddy-buddy with the power too. The whole thing makes me think that the song shouldn’t be taught widely, since it’s subconsciously calling (4 of 5)
> 
>  
> 
> **Alexander Hamilton @adotham 11:48 PM - 27 Dec**
> 
> out all who are different and encouraging conformity. WAKE UP AMERICA! #holidays #america #sheeple (5 of 5)
> 
>  
> 
> **John Loves Turtles @johnlaur 11:51 PM - 27 Dec**
> 
> @adotham I NEVER REALIZED THAT OML IT’S A CONSPIRACY (THE ILLUMINATI IS REAL SHEEPLE) #conspiracy #illuminati #xkcd
> 
>  
> 
> **Hercules Momigan @h.and.m 11:54 PM - 27 Dec**
> 
> @adotham @johnlaur hOLY mother of JESUS go to SLEEP you two!!
> 
>  
> 
> **Alexander Hamilton @adotham 11:55 PM - 27 Dec**
> 
> @h.and.m well then what are you doing up??? I’m perfectly capable of going to sleep on my own.
> 
>  
> 
> **Hercules Momigan @h.and.m 11:57 PM - 27 Dec**
> 
> @adotham @johnlaur no u rly aren’t, hammy, also time zones fam I’m two hours off it’s like ten here
> 
>  
> 
> **John Loves Turtles @johnlaur 11:59 PM - 27 Dec**
> 
> @adotham @h.and.m fine i’m going to bed now. night
> 
>  
> 
> **Alexander Hamilton @adotham 12:01 AM - 28 Dec**
> 
> @johnlaur night john! sleep tight don’t let the bed bugs bite ;*
> 
>  
> 
> **Angelica Schuyler @angelintheschuy 12:03 AM - 28 Dec**
> 
> @adotham Alex literally go to sleep or I will come to your house and force you to while lecturing you on healthy sleeping habits
> 
>  
> 
> **Alexander Hamilton @adotham 12:04 AM - 28 Dec**
> 
> @h.and.m @angelintheschuy hercules u snitch!! also fine yes mom geez

***

**angaylica: happy new year’s eve! don’t forget to bring noisemakers u guys!**

**angaylica: and your instruments too so we can practice for the concert coming up**

**horseswithcorsets: waaat I got a bass how am I supposed to bring it**

**angaylica: we have a spare in the music room ur all good**

**idrawturtles: kill the spare**

**angaylica: did u just**

**idrawturtles: yes i did just**

**marialikemariah: i’m not in the orchestra :///**

**lizzieintheschuywithdiamonds: we invited a bunch of band kids and told them to bring instruments you can practice with them**

**marialikemariah: cool**

**idrawturtles: can’t wait, see yall at six**

**BAGUETTE: our boy laurens coming in strong with the y’all**

**idrawturtles: stfu it’s a perfectly common phrase**

**hamtheman: is there anything in particular we should wear?**

**pegsters: 3 piece suit**

**pegsters: bonus points for a cool tie**

**lizzieintheschuywithdiamonds: no peggy**

**pegsters: yes peggy**

**angaylica: Just casual clothes are fine, but dress warm because we might spend some time in the snow**

**lizzieintheschuywithdiamonds: it’s gorgeous at night and we’ve got sleds with your names on them**

**idrawturtles: even my old broken down tmnt one?**

**hamtheman: tmnt?**

**lizzieintheschuywithdiamonds: teenage mutant ninja turtles, and yes ofc!**

**idrawturtles: :DDD**

**marialikemariah: i’m bringing homemade brownies!**

**lizzieintheschuywithdiamonds: YAS I LOVE U**

**marialikemariah: <3**

**pegsters: liza’s fav food are brownies she can eat a whole box of bite-sized brownies in half an hour it’s scary**

**marialikemariah: ye ik**

**BAGUETTE:** ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )

**horseswithcorsets:** ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )

**idrawturtles:** ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )

**hamtheman:** ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )

**pegsters:** ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )

**pegsters: and why do u know this?**

**lizzieintheschuywithdiamonds: ET TU PEGGY**

**pegsters: ily!**

**lizzieintheschuywithdiamonds: (-_-)**

**angaylica: ANYWAY. See u guys at six!**

***

“Thanks for giving me a ride again, Mr. Washington.” Alex went around to the back of the car to get his cello, uncovered ears reddening in the air.

“It’s no problem, son, and happy New Year’s! See you at school,” Washington answered. He stuck his arms through the straps (a struggle, especially with his poofy coat) and felt it settle as he slogged through the snow to Lafayette and John, waiting for him at the base of the steps. His shoes were soaked.

Climbing up the grand staircase in front was treacherous. He understood the aesthetic appeal, but water had frozen over the stone and made it slippery. The first time he fell, John (who presumably had better traction on his shoes) caught him and steadied him; the second time, he wasn’t as lucky and slipped down on his stomach three steps before finding something to grip on to (Lafayette’s leg) and heaving himself back up. “Ungh.”

“Jesus, Alex, are you alright?” John asked, looking at the sizable ice-gravel-covered wet patch on the front of Alex’s jacket.

He winced. “No need to call me Jesus. And I’m fine, thanks.”

John grabbed his hand (his mittens were really fluffy and warm on his bare skin, wow) and hauled him up the last few steps. He wiped the slush off his front. “Thanks,” he repeated.

“I gotchu. Now let’s go in and eat food and partaaay!” John sang, pressing the doorbell five times in rapid succession.

“Please stop talking like the internet. Also the door’s already unlocked. Come on.” Laf was clearly impatient to get inside - they’d been shivering and muttering under their breath about how France wasn’t this cold/disgusting/ugly. They shoved the door open and stomped their feet on the doormat, caked snow flying up in chunks, then slipped off the winter boots they’d been wearing and headed into the house. Their socks were knee-high and… designed after the pair of socks Dobby gave Harry. Amazing. He and John followed, happy to get inside, though his sneakers were still freezing and cold, and stuffed them with all the other tons of shoes there were. He peeled off his socks and stuffed them into the sneakers, padding down the hallway in damp bare feet that squelched at every step.

“Do you know where it is?”

“Yeah, it’s… over… here!” John pointed at a much more ornate door than the brown one they’d used for the movie nights.

“Wow.”

John pushed the door open and waved him in. Chopin played in the background with pastel lights making dappled patterns on the ground, like moonlight. Kids he’d seen from school swirled around the room, holding drinks and talking quietly, matching the low energy of the setting. The Schuylers had chosen well; if it’d been rowdier, the people would probably be bouncing off the walls already.

“Wow.” He hung back with John, watching the room apprehensively. John evidently had no such qualms, bouncing across the room to where Mulligan’s bulk was leaning disinterestedly against the wall.

“Mulligan! Hi!”

“John!”  Mulligan gave him a one-arm hug. “I think Angie planned for us all to break at eight so we could practice for orch, and the other kids here are all from band so they’ll be practicing by themselves too in a different room.”

“Oh yeah, is there a place we can put our stuff?” Alex gestured to his cello, rolling his shoulders uncomfortably under the case’s straps.

“You can put them in the room Angie reserved for the orchestra, come on,” Mulligan led them out a side door and down some low-lit hallways until they reached another set of doors (seriously, how large was this house?) where Lafayette was, talking animatedly to Peggy as they tucked their violin behind some stacks of sheet music. “Hi Peggy, hi honey,” Mulligan leaned over and pecked Laf’s cheek, who hummed appreciatively and turned quickly enough to brush their lips against Mulligan’s. Peggy cackled, John groaned, and Alex studied the pair in interest.

“Alex, let’s get out of here, they’re gonna be gross and mushy for the rest of the night,” John muttered, grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the room, Peggy following and smirking at the joined hands.

“Hey Peggy, what’s happening in the big room?”

They ran up ahead so they could walk backwards and talk to them at the same time. “There’s food and drinks. Random little sandwiches or something, you’d have to ask Angie - she’s the one that set everything up with the caterer, and we all chose some drinks so there’s sparkling apple cider and water and OJ and hot chocolate and -”

“Thank you, Peggy,” John cut in hastily.

“- honestly, I like the apple cider best. Yum. What, John, don’t give me that look, I was almost done,” they said indignantly. Probably picked it up from Angelica, because it was very menacing.

“Anyway, there’s gonna be party games later, I think -”

“Spin the bottle?” John asked eagerly, squeezing Alex’s hand.

“No, not spin the bottle, John Laurens, you really think we’d let people play that here? It’s middle school, for heaven’s sake.”

“Was Eliza the one that vetoed that?”

They deflated a little. “Well, maybe.”

“What’s spin the bottle?” Alex asked, confused.

“It’s where -” John was cut off by Peggy, mostly because they spoke louder.

“- you spin a bottle, duh, and then you have to kiss the person it points on.”

“What?! That’s weird.”

“I mean, yeah,” Peggy allowed, turning back around and swinging around a corner just before they were going to smack into a wall. “Anyway, I think Ange and Eliza planned for Truth or Dare, and Paranoia, and Mafia - we’ll have to split up the group to play that though, too many people is no fun. And some other stuff.”

“…Cool.” Alex was just a little overwhelmed at this wealth of information. He didn’t understand half of what Peggy had said. But alright.

“Anyway, here we are, and as a Responsible Host I have to go mingle, so bye! Have fun, don’t do drugs, consent is important, use protection!” they yelled, waving as they disappeared into a cluster of people.

“That Peggy,” John said, looking after them fondly.

“They’re quite a character,” Alex agreed. John turned and zeroed in on the food table, intoning “come, Alex, duty calls.”

He was forced to run every few steps to catch up with John, who had already found some sticky looking thing and covered the lower part of his face in sugar. “Mmmmmm,” John hummed, rubbing his belly with his sugar hand and smearing glaze all over his shirt. Rather than responding, Alex discovered a bowl of chips and took the whole thing instead of a handful, cradling it and stuffing his face. They lounged by the table, methodically eating everything on it until John huffed a breath and said that he was full. Alex readily agreed (he’d been full for a while, and was probably going to go into food coma any minute now) and they drifted over to the drinks instead, where John ladled himself a glass of hot chocolate and Alex tested the fizzy apple cider. They were both smiling at each other in appreciation when Eliza Schuyler showed up wearing a white blouse and navy blue pants, critical gaze taking in the both of them.

“Were you two by any chance responsible for eating almost all the food? You do know you’re not supposed to eat too much, right? There’s an actual dinner that they’re taking out later,” she scolded.

“Dinner? Why didn’t Peggy mention dinner?” John whispered in horror, probing his swollen belly.

“Iono,” he answered, poking his own stomach in turn.

“Aaand there it is,” Eliza said, pointing to the swinging doors that presumably led to the kitchen, where several people carrying trays full of food had just pushed through. “I have to go get everyone else. If you really can’t eat just go hang out in the music room,” she added cheerily, winking at both of them and swishing away.

John looked at Alex. Alex looked back at John.

“Let’s go find the music room.”

“Okay.”

***

“Thomas, why are we even here?”

“Because Ange and I are best of friends,” Thomas boasted, sipping from his glass of cider with his pinky raised daintily.

“Don’t call my sister that,” Peggy said cheerily as they sashayed by.

_ “Ooooh,” _ rose up around them. James scooted closer to Thomas, who wound an arm around him and sipped again.

“Wanna go to the band room?” James asked, putting on his cute puppy dog face. He sighed.

“I can’t say no to that face, Jemmy, but do you actually remember where it is?”

“Kinda,” James said vaguely, leading him towards a side door and down several ominous-looking hallways before stopping in front of a door.

“You sure this is it? I don’t think the door looked like that,” he said. James just shrugged. “Only one way to find out, then.” He reached past James and pushed the door open; peered inside and jerked back, flailing for the doorknob. “Jesus!”

“Was it not the band room?” James asked, looking disappointed.

“No,” he managed, heart racing. “It was Reynolds sucking face with Maria Lewis.”

“Oh well. Let’s try this door.” James pulled him over to another nondescript door, pushed it open. Hamilton and Laurens were in there, talking quietly about… turtles? 

Hamilton looked up and caught a glimpse of him. “Is there a reason why you decided to shove your ugly face where it wasn’t wanted, Thomas?”

“If my face is ugly then yours is like… a warthog. Greedy and unappealing.”

“A warthog? That’s the worst thing you could think of?”

“I -” James yanked him back and shut the door, cutting off the conversation.

“A warthog? Really?” He floundered for a response, came up with none. “Was that honestly necessary, Thomas? You couldn’t hold thirty seconds of normal human conversation with Hamilton without fighting? I was gonna ask him where the band room was!”

“Sorry.”

James sighed at him, shaking his head fondly before dragging him down the hall to yet another room. “How about this one?”

They opened the door. Lafayette and Mulligan were making out inside. They closed the door.

“Seriously, do we just have really bad luck or something?”

“One more door and then we can go back if you want,” James said. He nodded. Truth be told, he didn’t really want to go back either, where all the orchestra kids shunned him relentlessly. Fun times.

Luckily, the last door revealed a room that was empty except for the several horn-shaped black cases in the back and some music stands. “I think this is it.”

“Yeah, duh, Thomas. Come on.” James flopped down on the carpet comfortably, curling up on his side and peering up at Thomas. “What’re you still doing up there?”

He sat down on the carpet next to James, stretched out on his back and crossing his arms under his head. Sighed. James poked his stomach. “You okay?”

“…Yeah.”

James scooched closer, nuzzled his face into Thomas’s shoulder. He rolled over so they were face to face. “You sure?”

“Yeah.”

“’Kay.” They laid in companionable silence for a moment. Thomas looked at James, his long eyelashes and soft mouth and small stature.

“Hey.”

He smiled. “Hey.”

James smiled and poked his belly again. “Are you wearing your binder?” He nodded. “Have you been wearing it all day?”

James knew him too well. He nodded again, reluctantly.

“You know that’s not a good idea. Thomas-”

He shrugged, as much as he could while lying down. “Dysphoria.”

James didn’t respond, just reached out and hugged him, lightly, around the shoulders. “You are the most handsome and amazing man I have ever had the pleasure to befriend.” He rubbed his head up against James’ shoulder, wordlessly acknowledging him.

A pause.

“This carpet is really super nice,” he mumbled.

“Yeah.”

“Schuylers are loaded.”

“Yeah.”

“Good talk,” he whispered, drifting off.

***

He was woken a couple hours later by footsteps thundering into the room as the band kids Angelica’d invited rushed in. James was still breathing softly besides him, eyelashes casting little half-moon shadows on his cheeks. He shook him awake, the two of them in a little quiet bubble of space as the others put together their instruments and set up, talking loudly and probably a little hopped up on sugar. Angelica stopped by and told them all that Abigail Smith was in charge (first flutist) and then left just as quickly, presumably to go join her own rehearsal. She’d really worked the details out pretty well, arranging rides for people and instruments in the scarily efficient manner Angelica Schuyler had.

In due time they got set up, after Abigail repeatedly told her boyfriend, John Adams, that  _ no _ just because she was in charge didn’t mean that he could sit up front with her, though like everything she said, it was with a touch of fondness for the dork that was her boyfriend.

The practice went smoothly; most of the band was too afraid of Abigail to try and convince her to do anything that their band director (a man who gave the impression of being a little scatterbrained at times, who had introduced himself as “King George”) wouldn’t have. She was a better conductor than him anyway.

“Maria, please play bars 1-36, show your section how it’s supposed to sound. A shocking number of you still don’t know your parts, so spend the time learning them.”

“That’s my girl!” rose up from the back; James Reynolds, last seat of the trumpets, had raised his hands to his red-lipstick-smudged mouth to shout (and nearly dropped his trumpet). Maria glanced at him warily before looking away and starting to play. Thomas leaned forwards in his chair to poke James, sitting with the French horns.

“Thomas, stop,” James said without turning. He pouted.

“How’d you know it was me?” He twisted to look at Thomas, eyebrow raised and staring him down until Thomas deflated. He smirked.

“Shush, now, I want to listen to Maria. She’s good.”

Maria finished her mini-solo and looked up, smiling. Abigail nodded at her, glared at the rest of her section, and then ordered, “Everyone from the top. And Jefferson?” He looked at her.

“If I catch you flirting with James one more time I will take away your sax and put you in the corner for time out. Stop talking when people are playing. That goes for the rest of you,” she added menacingly, eyes sweeping the band kids assembled there. “Got it? Good. Let’s move on.”


	13. announcement

Hi, so....  
Life has been beating me upside the head recently and I literally have no time left ever. So I'm really sorry to say that this work is going on hiatus, for an indeterminate amount of time. I know I've been getting worse and worse with updates, and that's also partly because I'm losing inspiration for the work. It's become a huge chore for me to sit down and force myself to write another chapter, and I don't want it to be that way. I've also been starting to fall out of the Hamilton fandom (don't get me wrong, I'll still sing whenever possible, but I'm no longer obsessed).  
Anyway, if you're reading this, thank you so much for sticking with it through to now. You've all been fantastic (and the feedback was great) and I'm honestly really glad I started this at all, if only to connect with you guys. This whole thing sounds incredibly like one of those annoying good-bye/thank you essay things that grown ups write. Ugh. Sorry.  
Thank you, all of you. You're great. I hope you live wonderful, beautiful, fantastic lives. Thank you bunches. <3  
-Sarabande

**Author's Note:**

> constructive criticism is always okay


End file.
